Expecting the Unexpected
by nitexblssm
Summary: Bombay knew that he would be seeing Stansson again; true enough, 4 years later, Team U.S.A. and Team Iceland meet on the ice once more. Some would call it a rematch, others would say revenge, and the rest just want to defend their title.
1. Chapter 1:Getting the Gang Back Together

**Summary: **Coach Bombay knew that he would be seeing Stansson again and true enough, four years later, Team U.S.A. and Team Iceland meet on the ice once more. Some would call it a rematch, others would say revenge, and the rest just want to defend their title. Of course, what's a story without humor, drama and… what's this…romance?

**Disclaimer: **Nothing is mine. Disney owns all characters and movies.

**A/N: **Something that came to me out of nowhere. Rating may change in the future.

**Expecting the Unexpected**

**Chapter 1: Getting the Gang Back Together**

Gordon Bombay closed the door behind him, sighing with relief that the day was over. Throwing his suitcase on the table, he kicked off his shoes and proceeded to lie on the couch and watch some T.V. 'Oh yes.' He thought, 'This was the best way to start a vacation.' No sooner than he finished that thought, the sound of a phone ringing echoed through the room.

"What the…you gotta be kidding me," muttered Bombay as he reached for the phone.

"Hello?" he greeted somewhat irritated. There was no response so he tried again, louder and a little nicer. Still no response, but as he was about to place the receiver down he heard his name.

"Bombay!" He stopped, staring at the receiver in his hand. "Do you always answer your phone like that?" The voice sounded so familiar, that annoying tone, this person could only be--- "It's been a while hasn't it. Haven't seen you in, what? 3 or 4 years? And---"

"Tibbles, get to the point will ya!" interrupted Bombay.

A laugh, "Right, right sorry," said Tibbles "Anyways, I'm calling to give you some good news! You remember Stansson right? Of course you remember him. Well guess what? Apparently he wants a rematch and the officials of the Junior Goodwill Tournament, who by the way, wanted to see more of the championship game, thought it was a good idea and decided to set up one final game two months from now! Isn't that great?"

A long silence followed then "Wait. What?!" exclaimed Bombay. "You mean I have to face Stansson again. The Ducks have to go against Iceland again? Are you fricking kidding me?"

"Now come one Gordon," reasoned Tibbles, "Think of it as proving to Iceland that U.S.A. is the best of the best and the Ducks are not something to quack at. Get it. Well anyways, gather up the Ducks and start training them. Oh by the way, the competition is being held here in Minnesota. At the rink at St. Paul. See you there in two months. Good luck!"

The line went dead, but Bombay continued to stare at it in shock. "What the hell?" was all he could say.

**

* * *

Somewhere in Minneapolis**

"Charlie! You have a phone call! A 17 year old Charlie came running down the stairs, grabbed the phone expecting to hear his beloved girlfriend's voice.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Hey Charlie! It's Bombay. Long time no talk huh?" came the response.

"Coach! Hey, what's up? I thought you dropped off the face of the earth man," laughed Charlie.

"Oh come on Charlie, I wouldn't leave you like that. Anyways, something came up. Do you think you could get Team U.S.A together and meet me in front of the diner in an hour?"

Charlie noted the tone of voice his former coach used and agreed quickly, saying that he would definitely get the team together. He called Guy, Banks, and Fulton asking them to try and get a hold of the rest of the team; they decided to all meet in the park. Fulton called his fellow bash brother, Luis, and Russ. Guy rang up Connie and told her the plan. In about a half an hour the Ducks were together again at park.

"Yo Charlie! Jesse!" yelled Fulton; behind him were Portman, Russ, Luis, and Dwayne.

"Hey guys. Glad you could make on such short notice. Banksie! Guy! Goldberg! Over here!"

The three boys skated over. "Sup dudes. So Charlie, what's up?" asked Goldberg. Charlie was about to answer when he was interrupted by loud screams. He turned around to see a guy taking off with some woman's purse. He was about to skate over when he saw the guy suddenly knocked to the ground by none other than Connie Moreau. The purse flew into the air and would have landed in a huge puddle had it not been snatched by someone first. The boys watched as Julie handed the woman her purse and said woman proceeded to hit the thief repeatedly with it.

"Uh, is it me or were the girls always that intimidating?" asked Averman who just recently joined them.

"Jeez Averman," exclaimed Russ as Dwayne nodded his head, "Don't be sneakin' up on us like that man."

"Hehe, sorry. But like I said th---" "Yeah, did you see the glare the Cat was giving the poor guy." "Plus it looked like Cons hit him pretty hard." "Well you know, we have grown and---"

"Hey guys, sorry we're late." Julie and Connie were suddenly beside them, once again effectively surprising Russ and Dwayne.

"Ya'll got to stop doing that. I think my hea---AHH! Gallopin' horses!" Dwayne suddenly screamed. Behind him, trying to hold back a laugh, was the former Olympic figure skater, Ken Wu. The girls couldn't hold their laughter in and gave him high fives.

"Alright, alright," Julie finally said, "Where to now captain Duck?"

"We gotta meet Bombay at the diner," he answered, "I think something big is about to go down. Let's go." And with that the teens skated off, having no idea whatsoever what they were about to get into.


	2. Chapter 2: The News and A Surprise Call

**Summary: **Coach Bombay knew that he would be seeing Stansson again and true enough, four years later, Team U.S.A. and Team Iceland meet on the ice once more. Some would call it a rematch, others would say revenge, and the rest just want to defend their title. Of course, what's a story without humor, drama and… what's this…romance?

**Disclaimer: **Disney owns all.

**A/N: **Shorter chapter this time, but the others will be longer.

**Expecting the Unexpected**

**Chapter 2: The News and A Surprise Call**

**In front of the diner**

Bombay stood with his hands on his hips, turning his head this way and that, looking for any sign of his old team. Well, he shouldn't really be worried. He knew that they would be here, but he was getting a little nervous about how he was going to tell them of the upcoming "battle," as he liked to call it.

"QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK!" And here they came in all their ducky glory. Quacking like no tomorrow, skating around objects and people alike. A chorus of "Hey Coach!" greeted Bombay's ears as the Ducks surrounded him.

"Hey Ducks. It's so good to see you again Hope you guys have been keeping up with your hockey," Bombay said. He knew they were playing at Eden Hall, but hoped that they were not slacking in the off-season.

Averman piped up, saying "Coach, don't worry about us. We've had our fill of hockey at that prep infested---I mean Eden Hall. And before you say anything, we have been playing a bit this summer."

"Right. So can you please tell us what is going on since we're all clueless?" asked Connie, looking at her coach expectantly.

"Alright, but let's go somewhere else since what I'm about to tell you will require you guys sitting down." Bombay said in response as he started walking away. He missed the concerned looks the teens gave each other before they followed him.

**

* * *

At a park near a lake**

"Okay team," started Bombay, "You guys remember Don Tibbles right? The guy that sponsored us during the Goodwill Games?" The team nodded. "Well, he called me up the other night and told me that Stansson wanted a rematch. So, the officials from the tournament set up another match between us and Iceland." He said all of this slowly to make sure the entire group understood what he was saying. He watched as shock crossed each of the member's faces.

Fulton was the first to speak. "So what you're saying," he paused, "You're saying that we have to go up against Team Iceland again?"

"Oh nice try Coach," joked Goldberg, "Way to psych us out." He continued laughing until he noticed that he was the only.

"Gold, I don't think Coach is joking at all," Guy said, looking at the serious face his coach was making.

"No, I'm not," confirmed Bombay, "Look guys, I don't know what else to say to you except that it's in stone. Stansson wants a rematch and we are in no position to say no."

"What do you mean we can't say no?!" exclaimed Jesse, "What? Did those morons in suits say that we had to play against them. We won! It's done and over it. Stansson should just accept that and move on!" The rest of the team voiced their agreement. Bombay sighed. He knew they wouldn't take the news too well.

**

* * *

Somewhere in Iceland**

She just entered her apartment when her phone started ringing. "Halló?" she answered. "Maria. Call the team. We have training to do," was the response she heard. She sighed, waited for the dial tone then started the process of calling all the members of Team Iceland.

Wolf Stansson stood on his balcony overlooking the ocean. His mouth twisted in a smile. 'Four years,' he thought. Four long years and he will finally get his revenge. He knew Bombay wasn't stupid. He knew that sending in the other goalie may present a problem in winning the Championship. Still, he expected the star player of Iceland to cement the fourth goal. But oh was he so wrong. He watched as the goalie threw the puck into the air and watched it fall to the ice. He heard the deafening screams of fans that were not Iceland's.

"But that was then," he said to himself, "This time, I will make sure you lose. Bombay, you will be on your knees."

**

* * *

A/N: **Thank you to KissMeKate1995 for reviewing!


	3. Chapter 3: Major Anticipation

**Summary: **Coach Bombay knew that he would be seeing Stansson again and true enough, four years later, Team U.S.A. and Team Iceland meet on the ice once more. Some would call it a rematch, others would say revenge, and the rest just want to defend their title. Of course, what's a story without humor, drama and… what's this…romance?

**Disclaimer: **Disney owns all.

**A/N: **This chapter will have scenes in both Minnesota and Iceland. Yay! Team Iceland finally makes an appearance.

**Expecting the Unexpected**

**Chapter 3: Major Anticipation**

Bombay sat listening to the barrage of complaints that came from his team. They ranged from "It's not fair!" and "Seriously it was four years ago! to "What a bunch of whiny babies!"

Bombay agreed with his team for the most part. If Stansson wanted a rematch, then why didn't he just call for it the next day, or maybe a week later after the Championship game. That was what was bothering him the most. Does Stansson have some ulterior motive? Why now? Either way, he had to calm his team down.

"Okay team!" Bombay said in a raised voice, "I don't like this any more than you do, but it seems like Stansson is trying to prove something. But we are older now. We've had many different opponents and we know that Stansson can be a real jerk. "

"That's right," agreed Charlie. "You know," added Dean, "I've always wanted to beat that Sanderson for going after Banks and Connie. Now that I think about it, this could be a good opportunity to get him back."

"Yeah!" Goldberg chimed in, "Plus, he called me slow and big and I am definitely not slow. I mean sure, there are times when I can be slow, but for the most part…well, and the part about being big…uh…whatever, I like the idea of getting him back!" After this, the whole team threw in what they thought, getting excited by the minute. Bombay watched in amusement until he heard a soft "Coach?" by his side. He turned to see Julie; her face holding a somewhat trouble expression.

"Hey Julie, what's up?" he asked. "Well, " she said, "It looks like everyone finally got over their initial protest since they're now pumped to beat Iceland." Bombay nodded. She hesitated before continuing. "Well, um. At Eden Hall Coach Orion made me starting goalie and Goldberg became part of the defense. I'm just wondering---"

"Whether you will be goalie this time around?" Bombay correctly guessed. "Yeah," Julie answered. "Julie, you are an excellent goalie. I've seen you guys play a couple times and it looks like Goldberg adjusted well to playing defense. Don't worry, you'll get plenty of playing time." The "Cat" nodded her head, relieved and joined the rest of her teammates.

**Glymur, Iceland**

Maria observed the team as they skated their laps around the ring. They had all grown; developed teenagers from the boys they were. The majority of them had to at least be over 6 feet tall. She saw Gustav skating slower than the rest. Perhaps his ankle was bothering him again. Amssalik almost ran into a board trying to do an axel jump; he always did think he could be a figure skater, though she had no idea why. The rest of the team laughed at his antics. And there were Olaf and Gunnar in the lead; two of Iceland's best. The end of the Goodwill Games had not been a good time for Gunnar. Stansson blamed him for losing and the team did as well though they did not voice it. They were so young, but over time they began to understand and had apologized to Gunnar for their bad sportsmanship. She sighed.

"Such a deep sigh. What was it for?" She jumped a little and turned around to face Stansson. "Nothing," she replied, "Just do not work them too hard today. They do not even know why they are here." She looked him in the eye to make sure he understood. Yes, these boys may have grown, but they had yet more growing to do. "Wolf," she said, her eyes saying the rest; that if any of the boys were injured in any way, shape or form, there will be hell to pay.

**Out on the Ice**

Gunnar watched his coach and trainer talk, noticing the glances they kept shooting at the team. "What do you think they are talking about?" Olaf asked from his side, "Maria does not look too happy if you ask me." Gunnar switched his gaze to the trainer and indeed she looked like she was about to hit someone.

"Gunnar. Olaf." The two boys turned at the sound of their names. Gustav came beside them, a knowing look on his face. "I caught a little bit of what they were saying," he began, nodding his head in the direction of the two adults, "Maria said something about a rematch against Team U.S.A."

"WHAT?!" both Gunnar and Olaf shouted, catching the attention of the rest of their teammates. "Shh!" hissed Gustav, but before he could say anything else, they were called by Stansson.

**Back in Minnesota**

Connie and Julie were on Connie's bed discussing the upcoming rematch. Julie's parents were on an overseas business trip and she decided she would rather not stay home alone. Connie had been generous enough to let Julie stay with her stating that though she loved the guys, she also needed some female contact.

"Ahh, can you believe this?" Connie asked, "I wonder what they all look like now?"

"Hmmm," sighed Julie, "Well, I bet you they got bigger. I mean, look at our guys, they've grown. Those Iceland guys are probably like six feet tall, maybe even taller!"

"Oh my God!" exclaimed Connie, "You're right! Crap, if they throw their weight around like they did last time, then we're gonna be flattened. _I'm _gonna get flattened!" She lay on her bed in defeat. Her female companion only chuckled and told her that she would not be flattened.

"Besides," continued Julie, "I doubt the guys would let you be crushed by those Icelanders." Julie thought back to how they looked four years ago. It was true that Iceland dominated them in the muscle area. They were huge, and with Stansson being their coach, there was little room to think that they didn't train those muscles.

She heard Connie groan beside her. "Come on Cons," she said, "You know that if anything happened to you our boys wouldn't think twice about beating those Iceland guys."

"I know, I know," agreed Connie, "Well, you know maybe they aren't so bad now." She looked up to see Julie giving her a questioning look. "What? You've seen how the boys changed. They aren't as obnoxious and they did learn some respect. Maybe, the guys from Iceland changed too."

Julie thought about it for a moment. It has been four years and maybe it was only on the ice that they were such jerks. Oh jeez, where did she get such thoughts. But still, she had to agree with Connie.

**With Team Iceland**

Stansson waited for his team to surround him. He looked at Maria and nodded his head to indicate that he understood her warning. "Team," he began, " I have some big news to tell you. In about a month and a half, we will be traveling to the U.S." Amssalik, ever the smart one asked why.

"Well you see, we will be having a rematch against those Ducks," answered Stansson, carefully watching his team's faces for reactions. "What?!" a majority of the Vikings yelled.

"Yes, that's right," confirmed Stansson, "The officials of the Junior Goodwill Games have already set up a time and place for the game. It will be held at the ice rink in St. Paul, Minnesota."

"Um Sir," Olaf began, "Just out of curiosity, why exactly are we having a rematch and why now?" The rest of his team members nodded their heads, looking at their coach. Stansson hesitated, wondering whether or not he should tell them the truth. Maria cleared her throat, making them all look at her. Stansson looked away rather quickly, knowing that his trainer would say what he would not.

"This rematch," Maria started in a less than friendly voice, "was actually set up by your beloved coach here. He was hoping that you all would agree, though he would have neglected to say---" she was interrupted by Stansson saying her name. She glared at him to be quiet and resumed what she was saying. "Neglected to say that you really have no choice since the match had already been scheduled and the other team informed. Needless to say, we need to start training to beat Team U.S.A. In about a month and a half, we will be flying to Minnesota and we will have two weeks prior to the match."

"Two weeks," muttered Gunnar, then raising his voice he asked "What will we be doing in those two weeks?"

Maria opened her mouth to speak when Stansson answered first. "In those two weeks, the two teams will be spending some quality time together. The officials decided that it would be better if we all knew more about each other." Maria added that it would be good for the team as well since, it would be a good opportunity for them to interact with teens other than the team.

**Later in the day**

"So Gunnar, Olaf. What do you two think about this whole thing?" Gustav asked. They were all at Olaf's house, sitting out on his balcony. Olaf shrugged his shoulders. "I'm still wondering why," he said. "Sure it was a big blow when we lost to those Ducks, but if Stansson wanted a rematch, could he not have called for one the next day or something."

"You're right," Gunnar said. "Why wait four years later? Still, I don't think I would mind going to America again. Actually, I would like to see how those people are now. If they changed at all."

Olaf agreed, saying "I wonder if their star player is alright? After all, I did hit him hard on the wrist." "I'm sure he is fine," Gustav said in response. "How about the girl?" he asked.

Olaf looked at his friend in surprise. 'Yes, the girl,' he thought. He remembered the girl; brown hair, rather good-looking now that he thought about it. Of course back then all he could think about was winning that Championship and doing whatever it took to do so.

"Olaf?" Gunnar asked, noticing that the teen beside him looked like he was in deep thought. "Huh?" was Olaf's intelligent response. "Oh, the girl. Well, I look forward to meeting her as well. I just hope she doesn't punch me again."

Gunnar laughed, "As long as you try to not to check her into the boards, you may be safe. As for me, I would rather not be hit where it hurts the most physically." Gustav and Olaf gave each other questioning glances before understanding what their friend meant. "Ah, that's right," said Gustav. "Both you and Olaf were hit where it counts by that female goalie. She's quite the feisty one isn't she? Oh and I almost forgot, Olaf you were roped in by that cowboy were you not?" Olaf glared at his two friends who were now rolling on the floor laughing before joining in the laughter himself. "Oh you wait Gustav," he said. "You'll get your share of duck antics." "Yes, yes," snickered Gustav. "I suppose I just have to act like you and Gunnar to have them coming at me then?" The three teens continued to tease each other until they were called for dinner.

**With the Ducks**

"Hey! Hey! Guess what I just heard!" Luis yelled, coming to a stop in front of his friends. "Two weeks before the actual match, our team and Iceland's are suppose to be doing some bonding thing."

"Huh? What?" were the replies he received. "Hang on," said Ken. "Like, we're supposed to be getting to know each other or something?" Luis nodded. "Hey guys. It can't be that bad. I mean it's been four years and they could have changed you know." The whole team turned to give surprised stares at the person who last spoke? "What?" Dean said, throwing his hand up in the air.

Connie was the first to break the silence. "Uh, Dean? Weren't you the one who wanted to "get them back" in the beginning?" Said boy shrugged his shoulders, "Well, yeah, but I mean…look at us, we've changed. Who's to say they haven't? Either way, I'm looking forward to seeing them again." His fellow Ducks thought about what he said for a moment before agreeing that maybe it wouldn't be so bad to see them again.

"Come on Ducks!" they heard Bombay yell. "Let's get a little bit of training in then I'll treat you guys to dinner." "WHOO!" screamed the Ducks as they headed off towards the ice rink.

**A/N: **Ooh what's up now! Both teams are getting excited to see each other. Stay tuned and thank you for reading. Ta!


	4. Chapter 4: Author's Note

Hey guys, I'm gonna be busy this week and next week. Finals are coming up and I need to put all my focus on studying. And just giving a heads up that I do have a month break coming up and I'll try to update as much as possible, although I can't make any promises. Thanks all for reading and reviewing!


	5. Chapter 5: Two More Weeks

**Summary: **The news has been presented and both teams are anticipating the meeting. Thoughts are being altered and Stansson seems to be acting rather…weird. What exactly is going to happen when these two teams face each other again?

**Disclaimer: **Unfortunately, I do not own anything besides the plot.

**A/N: **So finals are done and over with. Took a little time off to adjust to being home again and now I present you with an update. Have fun! And much thanks to HaloFin17 for the reviews and encouragement!

**Expecting the Unexpected**

**Chapter 5: Two More Weeks**

A month had passed by since they were told about the rematch and only two more weeks before they got to see the other team again. 'What would it be like this time?' was the question that ran through all their minds.

Two more weeks and we see those Ducks once more.

Two more weeks and we meet Team Iceland again.

"Coach I think we've had enough practice for today, don't you?" Goldberg asked as he caught a puck shot by Charlie. It was 5:00 in the evening and they had been practicing since 10:00 in the morning. Sure they got breaks, but this was one of the longer practices they had and frankly, all team members were too tired to continue. Bombay looked around at his team and true enough, they were waddling around the ice; they couldn't even skate right. For fear of being called "Captain Blood" again, he told them to call it a day, go home to rest and that practice tomorrow was cancelled.

**With the boys**

It was the next day and the two female members of the team decided they wanted to "hang out alone together" since for the past month, they were always with the guys.

"So," Adam said while they were walking through the park, "Two more weeks." That was all he had to say and the rest of the boys stopped walking and looked at each other. Fulton sat down on the grass with a deep sigh. The other boys followed suit.

"Yup," said Fulton, "You guys ready for this? I don't know if I'm more nervous or excited. I mean, are they gonna be like they were four years ago or you know?"

Charlie nodded his head, "I'm not sure what I'm feeling yet either," he said. There was some silence due to the fact that each teen was assessing their feelings to the upcoming meeting.

"Hey ya'll." Everyone turned to Dwayne who had spoken. "Don't you think…" he continued, "…that we should try to get to know them and maybe be friends? Sure, we'll still be playing competitively against each other, but at least in the end there won't be hard feelings right? Although, I don't know exactly what we're playing for, since it's just us and there won't be the whole world watching."

"Cowboy's right," agreed Russ. "Iceland was definitely out for our heads during the Goodwill Games, but it's been a while." He shrugged his shoulders as if saying "who knows."

Averman was the next to speak, "True. Besides we better not start anything cause I so don't wanna be eating ice…" he paused, then added "…or boards for that matter." His last comment elicited a laugh from his company and the atmosphere was considerably lighter.

"Alright," Dean announced. "We won't start anything and we won't do anything UNLESS they make the first move. And during the two weeks we have together with them, we WILL get along in a friendly manner. Everybody agree?" There was a chorus of "Yeahs" and nodding of heads as well. "Kay. Then let's go get food cause I am beyond starving."

"Great idea," exclaimed Goldberg. "All I had today was my mom's famous pork n' beans." "I love your mom's---"Guy started to say, but stopped when he smelled something foul.

"Oh, man Gold! Dude, get away from me!" shouted Charlie. Jesse was waving his hands in the air trying to make the smell go the other way.

"I think…I'm gonna pass out," Adam said faintly, his face quite pale. Ken couldn't even speak; he was leaning on Dwayne who had placed his cowboy hat over his face in an attempt to keep the smell out. Fulton and Dean were both pinching their noses and breathing through their mouths. Russ was off to the side laughing as he was the least affected since he was the farthest away. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Averman jumped out holding something in both hands, his mouth twisted into a mischievous grin.

**Somewhere in the air**

_PA system: Good afternoon folks, this is the captain speaking. We will be landing in New York in a few moments. I just wanted to thank you for riding with us and hope that you enjoyed the trip. Thank you._

Stansson looked at his team and noticed that they all looked tired. He couldn't blame them though. Flying across time zones was not very enjoyable. He was about to tell them to look livelier when his phone vibrated in his pocket. Checking it and after casting a glance at Maria, he excused himself to the bathroom.

"Halló," he said into the phone. "Ya, it's me," answered a female voice. "So, do you want to know what I have gathered?" Stansson snorted in a way that could be perceived as "Of course." He heard a chuckle, then the female voice continued. "I have been watching them and I cannot lie. They have certainly improved. That fat goalie is far better than he was back then. Also, it seems like he has been made into a defense man and that female goalie is the starting goalie. You do remember her right? She is good, but her skills have advanced as well. Not to mention all the other players are displaying better skills. The boys have grown quite big too, especially the enforces. But that does not really matter since your boys still have the upper hand in strength."

"So what you are saying," concluded Stansson. "Is that it will be harder to defeat them, since they have grown in their skills. However, we can still try to overpower them with our muscles. Well, no matter, I am always up for a challenge. That is all then. Good work. I will call you again when I have decided on my next move." He didn't wait for answer as he shut his phone and joined the rest of the passengers exiting the plane.

**With Julie and Connie**

The girls had gone on a massive shopping spree. Sure they may be on a hockey team dominated by guys. Sure they may be labeled as tomboys, but truth is, they are still girls. And as girls, they enjoyed shopping, cute things, and dressing up. They had just browsed through Wet Seal and were now sitting at one of the food courts eating some pizza.

"Oh my gosh," said Connie. "I definitely needed this day off just to hang out with you. It's been so long since we've done this."

"I know," agreed Julie. "Plus, we got some pretty awesome stuff. By the way, its two weeks right?" Connie nodded her head. "I actually can't wait to see them again. I don't know why, but for some reason or other, I'm just really---"

"Excited?" interrupted Connie. "Ha-ha, don't give me that look Jules. I'm excited too! I wonder what they look like now?" "Who knows," answered Julie.

"Well," said Connie, "Hopefully better looking than our guys." "Connie!" exclaimed the other girl, all the while laughing. "Oh, come on Jules," continued Connie, "You can't not agree with me. Don't get me wrong. There's nothing bad about our guys, but you know, I just need fresh faces to look at."

"Oh tell that to Guy," challenged Julie. Over the years she and Connie had become the best of friends and knowing that Connie and Guy have been together for God knows how long, she also knew that said male would react negatively. Although for some time, the couple's relationship had been rocky and it was only in the past year that they mutually decided to start seeing other people. Still, that didn't mean that all their feelings for each other were completely gone. "You're right though," she said. "We've been around the same guys for too long. All I see around me are Ducks or the occasional idiot Varsity. Great, now all I'm gonna be thinking about for the next two weeks is how those Iceland guys will look. Thanks Con, thanks."

Connie laughed, saying "Yeah, you're more than welcome Julie. Oh crap, we totally forgot to get bathing suits." There was a pause where questioning glances where exchanged. "You know, bathing suits…one pieces, tankinis, bikinis," elaborated Connie, "Jules did you forget that part of the two week bonding is us going to the beach?"

"WHAT?!" yelled Julie. "I don't remember that being part of our bonding. Actually, I don't even think I saw the whole itinerary. Wait, who planned for the beach anyways? Weren't they thinking at all?"

"Jules, what in the world are you freaking out about? It's just the beach. It's water. It's not like you haven't been to the beach before since you're from Maine and all," asked Connie.

"Cons," Julie replied. "Being from Maine has nothing to do with it. My point is, we are the only girls there and if I know you, which I certainly do, you're gonna make us wear bikinis. We are two girls in a huge group of guys; half of them from another country nonetheless. I mean hell, I know that we can throw our punches, but still---Oh don't stare at me like that. I haven't lost it and you know full well that those guys are hormonal."

Stifling a laugh, Connie stated that they would not be the only females there as it seems the Iceland trainer would be there as well. "And hey, I just heard from Coach that Ms. McKay would be with us too. I don't know why though. Anyways, enough talk, we still have one more place to check," she added and proceeded to drag her best friend off.

**In New York**

Team Iceland found themselves in a terminal waiting for their next flight that would take them to Minnesota. The team members were scattered; some browsing the shops, some walking idly around or sitting down, and others, like Olaf and Amssalik where playing on the escalators. Gunnar, choosing not to join his friends, sat beside his trainer.

"What is wrong Gunnar? You look troubled?" questioned Maria. Gunnar sighed before asking why they came two weeks earlier than planned. She knew it wouldn't be long before someone asked the question. She herself did not know the full answer and all she could tell the boy beside her was that Stansson had wanted them in the U.S. earlier for training purposes.

"I suppose he wants to get us on American ice; get us familiar to a new territory," deduced Gunnar. 'How so like Stansson' he thought. It was a good strategy if one were preparing for a battle, which he guessed was what this match was to his coach. Maria looked at the boy to her side. 'How cruel' she said in her mind, 'Having to go through all this. Of course all the boys love hockey. If only Wolf would ease up on them. Granted they are around 18 or 19 years old, but they are still young with their whole lives ahead of them.

"Yes, I suppose that is his plan," Maria agreed with Gunnar's statement. "Ah, our flight is next. Do you mind getting your friends before they hurt themselves on that escalator? I will call the rest of the team." Gunnar grinned and walked off to where his friends were now trying to run up the 'down' escalator.

**At the Germaine residence**

"Guy Germaine! Boys! Why in the world does it look like you have all been wrestling with a mud monster and why do I smell oranges?!" Mrs. Germaine half-scolded, half-asked her son and his friends.

"Ehehe…um…" was Guy's clever answer. "Uh, hey mom. I didn't know you were home." The boys were all covered in brown, sticky goo and were drenched with some kind of liquid.

"Well, Mrs. Germaine. You see, this is what happened," Averman began, explaining that Goldberg had almost killed everyone with his deadly gas passing and he (Averman) slipped away unnoticed to grab a bottle of chocolate syrup and went on to squirt his friends with the substance. Russ and Jesse in turn saw some mud a few feet away and decided to start a mud fight. Ken, for some unknown reason, had eggs in his bag and along with the Bash Brothers, started egging everyone else. Dwayne found a horse somewhere and began roping people. Then they were all drenched with freezing cold water courtesy of Adam and Charlie who were amazingly untouched by all the things being thrown around. As the mud/chocolate/water/egg war came to an end, the boys realized that the water they were being soaked with was actually orange juice that had been seriously diluted with lake water.

Mrs. Germaine was speechless for a moment, looking at each boy then finally laughed, instructing them to clean themselves up and then help out with the barbecue.

**The girls**

"Hey Cons we gotta hurry," Julie called to her friend. "We're supposed to help out at the barbecue."

"Coming, coming." Connie finished putting her hair up and both girls started towards the Germaine house.

**In the air again**

"Hey Gunnar," Olaf waved his best friend over. "I saw you talking to Maria. Any idea at all why we left Iceland so early?"

"I asked her, but I do not think she knows either. Apparently Stansson wanted us here earlier for "training purposes." Gunnar made air quotations as he said the last two words.

"What is that supposed to mean?" a voice behind Gunnar asked. The two boys looked up to see Gustav.

"We will figure that out later, but for now we should find something else to talk about. That lovely coach of ours is stalking our way," Olaf informed.

**A phone conversation**

"So did you tell him?" a male voice inquired.

"Yes, I told him they improved, but I didn't tell him just how much. And I gave him some hope that they could win with muscle usage," answered a female voice.

There was a short pause, then the male said "Good, good. He's cocky enough as it is, but raising his ego a little bit more shouldn't be too much of a problem. Alright, thank you for doing this. I know you don't like it and I apologize for having you dragged into this but you are the perfect person for this.

There was a chuckle on the other line, "Don't worry about it. This is actually kinda cool. Anyways, I'll keep you posted. See you in two weeks."

"Alright, good night," the male voice answered and the line went dead.

**A/N: **And there's _sort of_ a cliff hanger for you. Actually, it's more like a bunch of little cliff hangers, but anyways, hope you all enjoyed this one. By the way, going in the opposite direction of the escalator is soo much fun .


	6. Chapter 6: Fortuitous Meetings

**Summary: **The time for bonding is almost upon them. There is a lot of anticipation for both sides. Yet despite this, one wonders what is brewing behind the scenes.

**Disclaimer: **Unfortunately, I do not own anything besides the plot.

**A/N:** Sorry for the late update. Jane Austen got in the way and I had a little writer's block as well…actually I'm still trying to get over it. Anyways, here's another update and I was quite amused with HaloFin17's latest one, which had a water scene. Although I will say that my water scene will have to wait until the next chapter. Great minds do think alike. Enjoy!

**Expecting the Unexpected**

**Chapter 6: Fortuitous Meetings**

"Whoo!" yelled Russ and Jesse together as they executed the perfect play against the opposing team, gaining them the winning goal. Charlie looked on with amusement as Averman tried to pick himself up from being checked into the fence.

"I resent that," Averman stated once he was upright. "Hmm…didn't I say the same thing during the Games?"

"You remember what you said four years ago?" asked Dwayne incredulously, "Man, I have trouble remembering what happened two days ago." The group laughed.

"Maybe it is because you have fallen off a few too many horses."

"Yeah seriously," Russ started to agree, but stopped when he realized that the voice that had spoken had a thick accent. "Who said…" he began to ask, turning to face who had spoken. Behind him were three tall, young men; hands in their pockets, observing the Ducks through the fence. "It has been a while," one spoke. "I cannot really tell if you have at all changed, but I am sure I will not be surprised nonetheless."

"Hey man, what's your problem," Jesse asked, but it was Adam that answered. "You're here?" he asked, "I thought we weren't meeting until next week." Jesse looked at Adam then back to the three strangers. "Iceland!" exclaimed Jesse. All three Icelanders nodded. "It was a little bit of a surprise seeing you as well," said the one that had spoken earlier, "Though it was not as unexpected as this is your hometown. I would like to stay and chat, however we have to go, but we hope to be better acquainted with you all. Until next week then." And with that, the Icelanders disappeared into the crowd.

"Whoa, hang on" said Averman, "Banksie how did you know those guys were Iceland?" Adam raised an eyebrow before replying, "That was Amssalik. You guys didn't recognize him?" After a long silence Charlie finally shouted his agreement saying that he was the guy who had the breakaway goal in the Championship game. "But wait a minute," said Dwayne what did he mean about me falling off too many horses?" His companions laughed and told him that it was nothing to worry about.

**Somewhere in town**

Dean and Fulton were walking up and down the streets trying to chat up some ladies as was their past time when nothing else called their attention. And like every other time, they were refused.

"Man," complained Dean, "These chicks here have nothing in comparison to those in Chicago. At least they would give me a first date. Sheesh." Fulton just laughed at his friend and suggested they sit down for some ice cream and that way they could fully observe the women walking by. Dean quickly obliged and the pair set off for ice cream.

**At the movies**

Connie, Julie, and Linda, who haven't had much time to hang out together, had decided to see two movies and get dinner afterwards. The first movie had just finished and the girls had an hour before the next movie started.

"So," began Linda, "You're gonna meet them next week right?" Julie and Connie looked at each other before responding with a "Yeah." The two Lady Ducks had informed their friend of all that had happened over the course of the month. The girls gossiped about what the Icelanders would look like, how they would act, and whether Stansson was still a jerk; the latter, they concluded, would still be the same and probably be even worse since this rematch was most likely revenge. The hour passed by quickly when talking was the major event.

_**After the second movie**_

"Ahahaha," laughed Connie, "That was awesome!" She and the two other girls came out of the movie theater in high spirits due to the hilarity of the second movie.

"Oh crap," said Linda, "Look who's coming our way. Ditzy ex-varsity cheerleaders. That just put a damper on my mood."

"Relax Lin, "Julie responded as she watched four of the former Eden Hall cheerleaders approach them.

"Well, well," sneered one, "Looks like we've got some lost duckies. Aren't you supposed to be drowning in a lake or something? Oh, Linda, I didn't see you there. Hmmm…oh I get it now. You're being the goody-two-shoes and helping the lost ducks to some water right?"

"Of course," agreed another one, "Linda is always the perfect student. Always sucks up to the teacher like the dog that you are. Well, whatever, go hang out with those dawdling animals. You were never Warrior material anyways." Linda retaliated by pointing out that they were no longer at Eden Hall and that the Warriors had been replaced even while they were at school.

"Yeah, keep thinking that freak," said a cheerleader. "Eden Hall will always be Warrior territory. You Ducks couldn't even do anything without getting a lawyer involved. And not even that, it was your former coach who you guys met only because he _had _to coach kids in diapers. Didn't he, like, get a DUI or something?"

"Shut up!" screamed Connie, "Shut the hell up. You idiots know nothing. And who said you could boast about being Warriors. You guys are just a bunch of air-headed bimbos that have such low self-esteem that you have to make fun of us."

Julie laughed and congratulated Connie on her outburst. "The Warriors that you're all talking about is dead," Julie added. "You say that we never had the heart. Well from what I've gathered, none of you ever had what it took either. You just abused the title. If I were to give you guys a mascot it would be…um, let's see. Oh, perfect. You guys would be the Hot Air Balloons. It suits you all, don't you think?" Julie suppressed her laugh, smiling sweetly instead. What happened next was something she wasn't expecting.

The cheerleader who spoke first, slapped Connie across the face, making her stagger, but luckily Linda steadied her. The second cheerleader then pushed Julie hard. She may be called the Cat Lady, but that didn't exactly mean she had every cat ability, and with no one to balance her; she closed her eyes and waited for the ground to catch her.

**With the Bash Brothers**

"Fulton, Fulton talk to her when she comes out," Dean said, indicating the woman who they had been staring at for the past three minutes.

"Why me?" complained Fulton, "I had to do it last time. Come on Portman. Man up and you talk to her." "Alright, alright," said Dean, "Oh here she comes."

The blonde-haired woman walked out of the store, passing the table where the two were sitting. "Hey there pretty lady," Dean said, loud enough for the woman to hear. She turned around and to the astonishment of Fulton and embarrassment of Dean, there stood the Iceland trainer.

"Oh…um…uh…sorry, I…uh," sputtered Dean, mentally slapping himself. 'Really?' he asked in his mind, 'It had to be her. Wait, why is she here?" He looked up to see the Iceland woman smile at him. "Oh it's quite alright, "she said. "I supposed you are both wondering why am I here?" The two teens nodded, unable to say anything else. "Well," she continued, "We are actually all around this area, but I just wanted some time to myself and sight see. I have to get going now, but it was nice to bump into you here. Until next week." And with that the boys watched as the Iceland trainer walked away from them.

"Hang on," said Dean. "How did she know us? I mean obviously she didn't know our names, but she knew that we're Ducks." Fulton answered "Uh, bro? Maybe it's because we don't look that different. We still have the same hairdo and---" Dean interrupted saying, "Dude, what does our hairdo have to do with it?"

"Okay, whatever," said Fulton. "I don't really care how she knew us. I'm more interested in what she said. She said that they were all around here. I'm guessing she meant the whole Iceland team. So does that mean that we're gonna run into some of them and I thought they were supposed to be in St. Paul and why are they here this early? We're not supposed to be meeting until next week."

"Fulton calm down," Dean said, smacking his friend on the head. "Does it really matter if they're here early? Besides, we're gonna see all of them next week." Fulton nodded his head, saying "Yeah, well as long as we don't see Stansson until then."

"Agreed. Now let's go see if we can grab some of the guys and go bother Coach," suggested Dean and the two set off planning mischief.

**A hidden conversation**

Male voice: So, how much more have they improved, if at all?

Female voice: I'm afraid to say that they have greatly improved. They're quite fast with their skating and passing. The puck-handler has gotten better. His skills are beyond what I have seen.

Male voice: And what about that extremely fast one. The one who likes slamming into walls of his own accord.

Female voice: Ah yes, that one. His stopping skills are excellent. Oh and that knuckle puck has been perfected. Also, one other person has learned it and is quite good at it. Perhaps not as good as Tyler, but all the same.

Male voice: Damn! This does not give me much comfort. By the way, are you sure that you have not been found out. It would be bad for both of us, more for you than me, but still. This kind of thing would be expected of me. You on the other hand, well, I am still wondering what your reasoning is.

Female voice: That, you have nothing to worry about. None of them have even suspected me. Besides they hardly see me and I'm supposedly meeting them all tomorrow. And, oh! What time is it? I'm supposed to meet him for dinner. Well, until next time then. Oh, and make sure you yourself are not suspected. Especially by that trainer of yours, she's quite smart.

Male voice: Yah, yah. Now go to him. See if you can find out any strategies he is thinking of. I will not see you again until next week. Go.

**Back at the movie theaters**

Julie prepared herself for the impending impact she would have with the concrete sidewalk. A few seconds later she was still waiting, until she realized that she was being held up by the arms wrapped around her waist and chest.

"Jules! Julie are you ok?" Julie could hear Connie asking her. "Um, yeah I think so," answered Julie. She was about to thank her savior when a deeply accented male voice interrupted her.

"I can see that you girls over there don't like these girls. But do you really need to start a petty fight in the middle of a sidewalk? Why don't you just leave?" Julie couldn't believe her ears. 'It couldn't be,' she thought, 'There's no way…is there? Why is he here? Wait, is he the one holding me right now. Oh God, this is so embarrassing.' She heard one cheerleader say, her voice sickeningly sweet, "Well sure, I'll leave. But only if you come with me. You look new here and I could show you around town."

There was a noise that could be comprehended as a sound of disgust then another deeply accented male voice said "Your lack of charm is not very attractive. I suggest you listen to my friend and leave. As it is, everyone in viewing distance knows that you girls are the ones that tried to instigate a fight."

Julie was stunned. She recognized both voices and was conversing with herself in her head, wondering why and who was holding her, which brought her back to the present. She was facing her savior, her face buried in his chest. She slowly raised her head, only to look directly into the eyes of none other than Iceland's star player. Gunnar Stahl.

'Oh my God!' she screamed in her head while outwardly thanking Gunnar. He inquired if she was alright to stand. She said yes and Gunnar loosened his hold. She was wondering why he hadn't let go completely and then she noticed that her arms were preventing him from doing so. Mortified, she realized that in the process of him saving her, she must have unconsciously grabbed him to steady herself. She released her arms quickly, stepped back and apologized. She kept her head down, trying to fight back the deep blush on her face. There was no way she could show her face to Gunnar or Sanderson who was behind him. Connie and Linda, being the best friends they were, engaged the two Icelanders in conversation to give their flustered friend time to regain her composure.

**At the ice rink**

Coach Bombay stood in the middle of the rink, hands on hips, shaking his head. A zamboni had just crashed through one of the walls. He watched as Guy, Ken, Dean, and Fulton emerge from behind the driver's seat.

"What is it with you guys and driving through walls? 'Specially you, Guy and Fulton. This is the second time you two did something like this," Bombay said.

"Sorry Coach," called Dean. "Yeah, sorry," repeated Ken. Fulton shrugged one shoulder while Guy said "We're okay though." Bombay laughed, stating that those were the same words he heard the last time this event took place. "Come on you four," he said. "Start cleaning this mess up and I'll be the one driving that thing back."

Not long after Bombay said that, the rest of the boys came in. "What the heck happened here?" asked Charlie. Jesse, noticing the zamboni, started laughing. "No way," he said through fits of laughter, "You were screwing with the zamboni weren't you. Man, why didn't you guys wait for me?"

"Alright, alright," Bombay called the attention of the boys. "You will all help with the repair of this wall. I don't want to be fined for destroying property, you got it?" There was a chorus of "Yes Coach" and the said boys began the clean up.

**At a Cracker Barrel restaurant**

Linda sat at a table observing her companions. To her right and left were the two Lady Ducks, and across from them were the two leading players of the Iceland team. Julie had managed to pull herself together in time to agree to invite the Icelanders to dinner. They had all been politely conversing, but now it lapsed into an awkward silence.

"So…um," Connie began. "Uh, if you don't mind me asking, but why are you guys here? I thought you wouldn't be coming in until next week."

Olaf answered, "Well, Stansson wanted us to come earlier than what was planned. Although, I myself do not know why here since we are supposed to be in St. Paul."

"Pssh," Julie finally spoke up. "He's probably here to spy on us or something." No one said anything for a moment and Julie, realizing what she just said, quickly uttered a "Sorry." Seconds later, a laugh erupted from both Gunnar and Olaf.

"I would not be surprised if that was his motive," Gunnar said. "And you do not have to worry. Olaf and I are not here to spy on you girls. We are not like Stansson; which reminds me. It has been four years, but I still would like to apologize for my behavior during the Goodwill Games."

"I, as well, would like to apologize," Olaf added. "Especially to you Connie. I was fifteen, hard-headed and cared only about winning. Too much pride is a terrible thing." Before either Connie or Julie could say anything, a deep voice interrupted them.

"Is it really such a terrible thing? Olaf. Gunnar. I see you have been making yourselves quite comfortable with these lovely ladies. I am surprised, when I said to explore the town; I did not mean have dinner with team members from the rival team."

Connie gripped the edges of the table cloth, glaring at the glass of apple juice in front of her. Julie, not trusting herself to speak, had closed her eyes and was taking slow, deep breaths. Linda looked at her friends, trying to figure out what just happened. She switched her view to the males at the table and flinched. She had never seen anyone give such intense stares.

"Well," said the man. "I can see that I am a disturbance so I will leave you all to finish your dinner. Oh, here is your bill. Just wanted to help the waiters since is sort of intruded. Anyways, see you ladies next week." Connie let go of the table cloth and Julie let out a deep sigh. Linda, still not understanding, remained silent. Olaf broke the silence apologizing for what just took place. Gunnar paid the bill, ignoring the protests of his female companions.

"Thanks for paying the bill again," said Linda, as the company walked out of the restaurant.

"It was nothing," replied Gunnar. "Thank you for inviting us." She nodded. "It was nice to meet you both. Come on Jules, Conn, we gotta go or they're gonna kill us." Upon hearing this, Olaf and Gunnar gave each other questioning looks.

Connie, noticing this said "Oh, don't worry boys; no one is going to kill us. We just have to meet the rest of our crew and we're running a little late."

Olaf nodded in understanding then said, "You girls may know this town better than Gunnar or I, but still you should be careful. We will walk you to where you need to go." Julie and Connie were too surprised to say anything. Linda on the other hand asked, "But are you sure you guys won't get lost?" Gunnar answered no and that if they did, it would not be too troublesome because it was an excuse to be away from their coach.

And so it was settled, the girls were escorted by Iceland's best. The girls were all asking the same question in their heads. 'What exactly would the team say when they see who they were walking with?' None of them had time to contemplate on the matter since their thoughts were interrupted by Dean's shout of "What the hell!"


	7. Chapter 7: Bonding Time First Half 1

**Summary: **As promised, the two teams finally meet. First impressions are given a second chance. Feelings are mixed. Tempers are tested. Actions are hard to understand. And some secrets are revealed.

**Disclaimer: **Do not and will not ever own.

**A/N: **Sorry for the long wait and thank you to all my readers for the reviews and for sticking by me while I try to get my chapters out. Heads up though, the waits between my updates are gonna be longer. This semester is killing me with all the homework, but please bear with it. This chapter is a bit shorter and the next one will be a continuation of this. Thanks and enjoy!

**Expecting the Unexpected**

**Chapter 7: Bonding Time (First Half) Part 1**

"What the hell!" Dean shouted at the Icelander in front of him. "You think you're so good. Why don't you just come here and prove it? Let's see just how tough you are blondie."

The other man smirked. "Yah, you need to work on your insults. But then again, it does not really surprise me. All you were ever good for was being an enforcer and you could not even play the part well. I have nothing to prove to you so just waddle away little duckie."

Dean was fuming. He moved forward, his fist raised. "Why you little sh---" He found himself suddenly held back by his teammates. "Let me go!" he insisted. He heard numerous "No Dean's." He whirled around, "What do you mean no?! We all agreed that we would try to be friends and that we wouldn't do anything unless they started something. From what I can tell, they already started something. No, Fult, don't you dare hold me back or I'll end up hitting you too. This moron needs to get over himself and I'll help him do just that."

**

* * *

With the girls and their escorts**

"Dammit!" Connie exclaimed as she began running to the group of boys just a few feet ahead. Julie asked Gunnar and Olaf to handle their fellow teammates before snatching Linda's hand and ran after Connie.

"Portman what the hell do you think you're doing?!" screamed Connie as soon as she reached the large group. The boys looked up to see a girl out of breath, two more girls behind her and to their surprise Olaf and Gunnar.

"What does it look like I'm doing!" snapped Dean, still struggling against his friends. "That oaf over there started it all. It would have been fine if he hadn't started talking crap about our team and those nitwits beside him didn't' help much either." Dean managed to break himself free and lunged towards the Icelander, but staggered to a stop when Linda stepped in front of him.

"Haha," laughed the Icelander. "You better stop while you are ahead. What will your coach say when he hears about you hitting someone who you are supposed to be getting along with?"

Julie started laughing, causing the entire group to stare at her. She stopped abruptly and fixed a glare at the Icelander. "You're not one to talk," she said. "Your lack of sportsmanship puts you in a bad light. Tell me, how exactly are we supposed to be getting along when you can't even act your age? If you want to start something go somewhere else. We aren't interested."

The Icelander, insulted, was about to say something when Gunnar interrupted. "That is enough Weyden. We did not come here to exchange blows," he said with a tone akin to authority and the other man complied. Gunnar then turned to the Ducks and apologized for his friend's behavior.

"Julie. Connie," Olaf nodded at both girls, "It was good to see you again. It was a pleasure meeting you Linda. And once again please excuse Weyden's rude behavior. He is a good guy, really. "

Gunnar told the other boys to start heading back and turned to the rest of the crowd. "Please forgive Weyden. He normally has a friendly disposition. Our two teams will officially meet next week. If you are going to judge us on impressions, it would be appreciated if you all waited to do so until then. Good-bye." The Ducks could only nod and watched as the Icelanders walk away.

**

* * *

Gunnar's group**

No one said anything for a very long time. Olaf, itching for an answer, finally asked the question. "So," he started, eyeing Weyden. "Do you mind telling us what exactly happened back there?"

Weyden answered, "I was just jesting. Is something the matter with that?" Olaf answered no, but it was Gunnar who wanted more of a confirmation. "Were you really?" he asked. "What kind of teasing would cause that enforcer to take so much offense that he was practically clawing at your throat?"

"Does it really matter?" asked Weyden in return. "They are our opponents after all." To this, Gunnar had to agree. No matter which way one looked at it, the two teams were always on opposite sides. "We are supposed to be getting along. Or at least trying to," reasoned Gunnar. A look of disbelief crossed Weyden's face. _'Is he serious?'_ he thought to himself. _'They took the Championship from us and he wants us to be friendly with them?' _ He looked to Olaf, knowing that his intimidating teammate would challenge what was said; however, he wasn't granted that satisfaction. Desperate, he looked to the other two who were with him during the incident, but they had turned their heads, unwilling to look him in the eye.

"What is this?!" he cried out. "Are you all seriously thinking of befriending those…those people? And you, Olaf. You despise them! You said so yourself, yet you say nothing to counter Gunnar's idiotic idea. Or is it because he is your closest friend that you do not voice your objection? Maybe it is because you have fallen for one of their players. I saw you two walking with them; I did not miss that. Are you both now trying to enter into a relationship with those girls? You know Stansson would never allow that. Does he even know?"

"Enough!" Gunnar demanded. "We can understand your dislike of them, but keep your words fair. Save your energy for our meeting on the ice, but until then, at least make an effort to be friendly to them."

Weyden gave a derisive laugh and shook his head. "You are our team's best and I have a great amount of respect for you. But Gunnar, do not make the mistake of assuming that we all think as you do. I give my word that I will try; that is all I can say."

"That is plenty enough," Olaf said, breaking his silence. "Let's go. They are all most likely wondering where we are; no doubt thinking that we have gotten lost and are too disoriented to ask for directions."

**

* * *

In a conference room**

There was a long table in the middle of the room; chairs surrounding it. On the back wall was a white board, upon which an itinerary seemed to be written down. Hanging on either side of the board were two flags. On the right, was the logo of the Duck while its counterpart was that of a Viking. At one end of the table sat the Coach of the Iceland team. At the other end was the Coach of the U.S.A team. Their teams were seated respectively on their sides.

"Well," said Don Tibbles, looking around the room. "Here we are all together again and four years later. First of all, I would just like to welcome you all to St. Paul, Minnesota. It is a beautiful city with a lot of sights to see. Can't wait for you guys to see it all. Which brings me now to our itinerary. This first week will be spent here; both teams will be staying at the Sunrise Hotel. You will all be grouped up of course, you know, 'cause we can't exactly take over the whole place."

Dean raised a finger to get Tibbles' attention. "Do we get to pick who we are grouped with or has that been already decided?" Tibbles answered that the groups have already been picked, adding that the groups will be a mix of both teams. "Of course," Tibbles continued. "The first step would be two throw you into a mix. The girls, since there are only two of you, will be rooming with Maria and Michelle (that's Ms. McKay for those who don't remember). I'm passing the paper around that has the groups. Please find your group members now and sit together; it will be easier to find your rooms that way." The paper was passed and there were scraping of chairs and mutters of annoyance before everyone was seated again.

"Alright, settle down, settle down," Tibbles said. "The first thing to do is the most obvious. After this meeting, you will get to know the members of your groups; what their likes and dislikes are, you know, the whole she-bang. Tomorrow, you will be unleashed into the city. You will get to know your way around the city, but there is a catch, which will be unknown to you until tomorrow." He stopped to gauge the attention of his audience, almost laughing out loud at some of the expressions made.

"Anyways" he went on, "A small conference room has been reserved for our use at the hotel. Everyone meets there at 8 a.m. tomorrow okay? I'll explain everything then. The next day, we will be helping out at the local animal shelters. Yeah, you guys might be wondering why an animal shelter, but trust me, you're gonna love it. Wednesday, you will all have the pleasure of teaching little kids how to skate and some of them, a little hockey. It's a good opportunity to test your interactions skills. Thursday, the coaches, officials, and I will bring you all to the ice rink and have you practice. Don't worry, this will be your only practice; unless, of course, your coaches say otherwise. And Friday it's shopping for supplies in the morning and a night out on the town. So, how does that sound so far?"

Adam, Charlie and Fulton had annoyed looks on their faces. The girls were talking about the animal shelter. Dean was discussing with Jesse, the best way to shut Tibbles up. And the poor Icelanders were struggling to take in everything that was said. The fact that Tibbles talked fast was not helpful either.

"Don," Bombay said, noticing the majority of the people in the room were confused. "Maybe you should ease up on the schedule. Stansson and I have copies of the itinerary so we know what's up. But, uh, you kinda threw a lot on everyone else. " Tibbles scrunched his brows together and realized that Bombay was right.

"Oh sorry, sorry," Tibbles apologized. "Well, to wrap things up then, the weekend is for you own leisure and to pack up as well, because the following week will be spent at beautiful Lake Superior. Your groups will be switched up so you can get to know other people. That is it for now. It's 6 p.m. and I'm sure you're tired of hearing my voice so I'll leave it to you all to find your rooms and start being friends. See you all at 8 tomorrow morning. Night everyone!"

**

* * *

With all the girls**

"Sheesh," Connie said as she threw herself on her bed. "We're not even here for a day and we already have the whole week outlined for us."

"Hahaha," Michelle laughed, "Connie you will be just fine. Just try not think about it all and take one day at a time. "

Julie nodded her head, then asked "By any chance, do you or uh," she stopped to look at the Iceland trainer not knowing how to address her. "Just call me Maria," was the response Julie got. "Um, yeah," she continued. "Do either of you know what tomorrow's event is supposed to be?"

"Now, now," said Maria, "You are not supposed to know, else it will not be a surprise."

"Yes," agreed Michelle, "And if we did know, we wouldn't tell you. Because that would ruin the surprise as well."

Connie and Julie groaned and fell to pleading with the older women to at least give them hints of what was to come.

* * *

"Hey ya'll! My name's Dwayne, but ya'll can call me Cowboy if ya want."

Ken Wu looked at his fellow Duck then to the two Icelanders in the room and tried to suppress his laughter. "Hey guys. My name is Ken and you don't really have to call him Cowboy unless you're comfortable with it."

"Uh yes, well," started one of the Vikings who was not sure how to react to the first introduction. "I go by my last name Niesel, so just call me that." Ken and Dwayne nodded their heads and said their hellos. The other Icelander, they noticed, had an amused look on his face. "Hello," he began, "My name is Gustav and it is a pleasure to meet you Ken and, uh, Cowboy." As he said the last part, he started to laugh. "I am sorry," he apologized, "I am not laughing at you. It is just that I remembered when you roped Olaf during the Championship."

The room was silent except for Gustav's laughter. Dwayne blinked a couple times, Niesel looked deep in thought, and Ken went into a fit of giggles.

* * *

Iceland's two main defenders were seated respectively on their beds, one trying not to make eye contact with the other boys in the room. Similarly, the Ducks two enforcers were on the couch, one attempting to keep his focus on the TV. Their introductions were hasty and a little rude.

_Flashback:_

"_Hello, everyone calls me Bajer. It is actually my last name, but many of us like to be called by our last names."_

"_Cool," said one Duck, "People call me by my last name too. It's Portman, but my first name is Dean if you wanna call me that instead."_

_The other Icelander grunted, earning a glare from Dean. "Call me Weyden," he said. "Try not to get in my way. It is bad enough that we are roommates. I do not need blundering fools to ruin these two weeks for me."_

"_Why you-" started Dean, but was cut off by Fulton. "You know," he said, "If you would just stop talking like that then you wouldn't have to worry about us 'getting in your way' as you call it. Name's Fulton by the way. Can we at least try to get along? I know that since we are roommates, it doesn't mean that we have to be best friends, but it also doesn't mean that we have to make the situation worse."_

And that was how the conversation ended.

* * *

Adam, Guy, Gunnar and Olaf walked into their shared suite, picking and choosing rooms before spreading out on the couches in the living room. After a few minutes Adam spoke.

"So I think that we might remember each other's names, but anyways, I'm Adam." He gave a little nod to the Icelanders.

"I am Olaf and I am sure you both remember me." There was a short silence before he continued saying Adam's name. The said boy looked up at the tall Icelander with questioning eyes. "How is your wrist now? It has taken four years, but I wanted to say that I am sorry," Olaf said. "I am not asking you to forgive me, but please know that I have reflected on my past actions"

Surprised by the apology, Adam was not able to give a quick response. "Uh," he started, "Naw, my wrist's healed. It wasn't anything bad so don't worry about it. Besides it was years ago, but I do appreciate you apology."

"Aww," snickered Guy, "That was sweet." This earned him a glare from Adam. "Haha, no I didn't mean anything by that. I was just saying. Alright…okay…sorry…jeez. Well my name is Guy."

Gunnar suppressed his laughter before speaking. "Um, well-"

"Don't even bother Gunnar," the other boys said. "There's no way me or Banksie could forget you two," Guy said. "Yeah," agreed Adam, "Iceland's best, we definitely remember."

"Aww," Olaf said. "How sweet; thank you for the recognition. Now if only you two were as good us as-"before he could finish the sentence he was hit in the face by a pillow." He heard a snicker, grabbed the pillow and threw it at Guy."

"Hey man!" exclaimed Guy, "That wasn't me." Adam picked up a magazine and chucked it at Guy. "Like hell it wasn't," he said as he hid himself behind a chair. "Banks you gonna get it!" shouted Guy. He picked up an empty water bottle and threw it at Adam. Only it wasn't empty and it ended up hitting Gunnar. Unfortunately for him the bottle was opened and it contained juice instead of water. So now Gunnar had a purple stain on his shirt. He picked up the cushion beside him and declared war.

**

* * *

As for the others**

"Charlie what the hell are you doing?!"

"Yes, Iceland is actually really nice. You should visit sometime."

"So, uh…yeah. What do you guys like to do for fun?"

"GOLDBERG!"…. "Hehe…oops. My bad."

"Luis for crying out loud. Stop hitting on the maids!"

"Ahahaha, you completely butchered the word. But it is okay. Icelandic is very hard to learn."

Bombay and Stanton, both in their respective rooms could hear all the commotion and frankly they were getting tired of it all. Bombay opened his door at the same time Stanton did and both yelled to their teams to shut up. After a short silence they heard numerous "Sorry coaches." The two men nodded at each other and retreated to their rooms. However, not long after they heard some "thumps" and "ouch's!" and a few curses. This was going to be a long night.


	8. Chapter 8: Bonding Time First Half 2

**Summary: **As promised, the two teams finally meet. First impressions are given a second chance. Feelings are mixed. Tempers are tested. Actions are hard to understand. And some secrets are revealed.

**Disclaimer: **Do not and will not ever own.

**A/N: **Christmas Present! Greetings to all my readers and I apologize for my long absence. I've been more than preoccupied with school, work, and whatnot. Well anyways, I now bring you the next chapter which is a continuation of the last (just in case you guys forgot). P.S. I don't know when the next update will be so please bear with me. Thanks and enjoy! Happy Holidays!

**Expecting the Unexpected**

**Chapter 8: Bonding Time (First Half) Part 2**

_Recap:_

_1) Confrontation between Ducks and Iceland's defense._

_2) A little tiff between Weyden and Gunnar._

_3) Itinerary in conference room._

_4) Meeting the roommates

* * *

_

**In a shopping plaza**

"What the heck kind of clue is that?" inquired Connie, reading the note in her hand. "Think pink. Not really suited to males. Caters to the female population."

"Well," said Marria, "We know that men have little to nothing to do with it."

"I got it!" exclaimed Julie as she turned on her heel and sped in the other direction leaving three stunned females to hurry after her.

"Jules, where are you-" began Connie but stopped when she realized what store they were standing in front of. "Haha. Are you kidding me?" she laughed as she walked into Victoria's Secret.

* * *

**In a children's park**

Fulton was trying to balance atop the monkey bars, his eyes scanning the entire playground. Bajer had somehow managed to get himself tied up with the tether ball rope. Portman and Weyden had tripped over some swings while running away from 7 and 8 year olds and were now lying face down in the dirt. Fulton jumped down from his post, untied Bajer and helped the other boys up.

"What the hell!" exclaimed Portman for the third time in ten minutes. All four boys were sitting at an outdoor café. "A scavenger hunt? Who the hell came up with that idea? I'm gonna kill Tibbles!" The other boys were too tired to comment, choosing instead to consume their coffee.

Olaf, Guy, and Adam tried to contain their laughter as they watched Gunnar walk into Victoria's Secret. Unfortunately for him, he had lost the draw and was forced to carry out the next step of the scavenger hunt.

"Oh man, I'm just glad I'm not the one doing this one," commented Adam. Guy laughed before adding that he wouldn't be caught dead walking into that store even if it wasn't part of a hunt. "He's pretty brave," he said as an afterthought.

"Oh I don't know," replied Olaf. "Gunnar doesn't really have qualms about walking into a lingerie store. This wouldn't be his first time doing so." He looked away from the store and noticed the expressions of the other two. "Oh no," he said hastily, "Don't take it the wrong way. Actually the reason why I-oh, I'll have to tell you later. Here he comes now."

"Uh, Gunnar? Why is your face so red?"

* * *

**Back at the hotel (at the end of the day)**

All the groups were gathered in the conference room which also served as a lounge. The two teams mingled with their own members with the exception of one group. Dwayne, Ken, Gustav, and Niesel were in one corner of the room completely oblivious to everyone else.

"No, no, no," said Niesel, "Iceland is not covered in ice. We have over one hundred volcanoes along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge."

"And more than twenty of those have erupted as well," added Gustav. The two Icelanders were teaching their Duck companions about their native home. Unfortunately, one of them could not accept the fact that Iceland was not encompassed in frozen water.

Dwayne shook his head and asked, "So then why is it called Iceland if it's not covered in ice?" Ken spoke before anyone else could and suggested they talk about something else.

"Yes, lets," agreed Niesel. "I'm afraid we are just, how do you Americans say it, beating a dead horse?" He immediately regretted saying that sentence when he saw the Texan shoot him a questioning glance.

"Relax Cowboy," Ken said. "He only meant there's no point in continuing our conversation on why Iceland is called what it is. We weren't getting anywhere with it. So anyways, another subj-WHOA! Gustav, Niesel, your trainer just walked in and she does not look very happy."

Marria tried to calm herself down before walking into the lounge, but still could not stop herself from storming over to where the Ducks were.

"Julie, Connie, can I speak with you two in private?" she addressed the two females. They looked at each other before standing up to follow her. The three of them were almost at the door when Michelle walked through. Marria grabbed her arm and led her back out with the Lady Ducks in tow. The entire room had been silent since the Iceland trainer walked in and was still in silence when all four females left.

"So, uh-" Amssalik began, trying to break the quiet. Averman interrupted, inquiring if anyone wanted to find out what just happened. Luis, Jesse, Russ, and Guy all jumped up and made their way quietly to the door. Luis poked his head out and soon his body disappeared from sight. The other three boys followed suit. Not long after all the boys had left the room, driven by their wild curiosity.

"Shh! They'll hear us."

"Stop pushing you moron."

"Hey, what are they saying? I can't hear."

"Shut up! Half of us can't hear either."

"Man don't tell me to shut up!"

"Americans…really."

"What exactly are you all doing crowded in front of the women's bathroom?" demanded a voice behind the boys. Turning their heads, they saw Stansson standing with his arms crossed; an amused look on his face. However, before a reply could come, the bathroom door opened and the boys toppled over each other. Four women stepped outside, took one look at the tangled pile of bodies and burst into laughter.

* * *

**What transpired in the bathroom**

Three women watched as the Iceland trainer paced the length of the bathroom. None dared to utter a word for fear of what might happen. Marria finally stopped in front of Julie, Connie, and Michelle. She took slow, deep breaths before fixing her eyes on Michelle. The stare was so intense that it scared the two younger girls.

"Is there something you would like to tell us Michelle?" inquired Marria. "Something you would like to share, and then, if you don't mind, explain why?"

Michelle frowned, crossed her arms and answered "I don't know what you mean." Marria smirked. "Oh?" she said. Julie and Connie looked at each other before turning their questioning eyes to the older women.

"Uh," began Connie, "What exactly is going on and why are we in the bathroom? And could you two quit with the glaring contest because that isn't producing any answers." After a few seconds, Michelle was telling the group something that could ruin the friendship between the two teams before it even developed.

"You what!" exclaimed Connie and Julie loudly. They didn't know whether to be betrayed or happy. They didn't know whether to storm out and demand the truth from the coaches. How did this plan even come to be? How in the world was it even supposed to work?

Michelle pleaded with them. "You musn't tell anyone. Please, you must keep this a secret. It will work out in the end. I promise, but please just don't tell a soul." In the end, they all agreed to keep their lips sealed on the matter.

* * *

**The Next Day**

"Aaah!" yelled Averman as he was running around the animal shelter; a lively Pomeranian at his heels. All he wanted was to carry it in a little bag, but apparently that wasn't going to happen.

"Hey Julie!" Julie turned at the sound of her name and saw Adam waving her over. She walked over wondering what was up when she was suddenly jumped by a Great Pyrenees. The dog was massive and almost sent her crashing to the ground. It then attempted to lick her face.

"Whoa! Down boy, down!" commanded Julie. "Banks, were you trying to mow me down with a bear?"

"That wasn't a bear Julie," he replied.

Julie rolled her eyes. "It might as well have been," she retorted. "We've already got a tiny dog in hot pursuit of Averman and I just got jumped on by a bear. What's next? A cat thinking Amssalik is catnip?" The last words left her mouth just as a tabby cat attached itself to Amssalik. Julie smacked her forehead and joined Adam in laughter; both unaware of three pairs of eyes watching them.

_**Connie POV**_

Ooh what's going on here? I looked up as I heard Julie's name called. I watched as she was practically knocked over by a huge dog. She and Banks were talking then suddenly they're both laughing. I wondered if anything was going to come out of this. It was kind of obvious that Banks had a thing for the Cat during the Goodwill Games. Unfortunately for him, she was totally oblivious. I smiled and looked away. Whoa! Portman doesn't look too happy. I followed his line of sight to Banks and Julie. Ah yes, Portman had a thing for the Cat Lady too. Looks like he might still have it. Rolling my eyes, I turned away only to catch someone else staring at the two Ducks. "Hmm. Well this is certainly interesting," I said to myself.

_**Portman POV**_

Dean was feeling very irritated. Irritated that Banks was flirting with Julie. But even more so, he was irritated at himself for feeling like wanting to wipe the grin off that rich boy's face. _What's going on! _He thought angrily. _It's not like I have a say in anything that is going on. Don't tell me I still have feelings for her?"_ I felt my frown deepen when I saw her lightly punch Banks on the shoulder. Whatever. She can be with him for all I care. I go back to the pit bull I was petting and soon noticed something unusual. I grinned. Well this was definitely going to spice things up.

* * *

**Wednesday**

Guy fell onto a couch with a sigh of utter defeat. They had all just spent the day teaching little kids how to skate as well as the basics of hockey. He was in need of a shower and food, although at the moment he could not bring himself to get off the couch. His roommates were in similar positions. If anyone walked in, that person would assume all four teenagers were unconscious from the way they were motionless. The sudden shrill sound of the telephone broke the silence in the room.

"Ugghhhhh," was all that was uttered by the four males. Olaf, the closest to the phone answered, then put it on speaker.

"Hello, hello," called a merry voice. Groans answered the greeting. "Now I know you are all tired," continued the voice, "But bear with me now. The week is almost over and you get a whole free week after. I just wanted to let you all know that you did a great job with the kids today. They really appreciated it. Oh and Olaf and Gunnar, Coach Stansson would like to speak with you both in his room. That's all and have a good evening. Get some rest for tomorrow!"

"Sometimes I wonder if that man ever takes time to breath," commented Gunnar. "Come on Olaf, we better go see what the "Dentist" wants now."

"I would rather not," said Olaf, but he stood up nonetheless and the two Viking stars made their way to their Coach's room.

* * *

**Practice Time**

The rink at St. Paul was much like the one that they had played in during the Goodwill Games. The only difference was that it accommodated less people. Not that either team cared. The whole world would not be watching this time around. The Vikings claimed one half of the rink and the Ducks had the other. Each team practiced in their own space with their own members for an hour or two before facing the opposite team. It was not too much of an aggressive match as the coaches did not want anything to get out of hand. The Icelanders still threw their weight around yet somehow managed to not plaster the Ducks against the boards.

_**Julie POV**_

I watched as Olaf and Gunnar charged down the middle with the puck. It was truly a sight to behold. None of the Ducks could manage to stop them as they were casually tossed aside by the other members of Team Iceland. My teammates honestly looked like ragdolls on the ice. Granted, the boys had all further developed and could take more hits than they could four years ago, but it was still hard. The two Vikings closed in and I prepared myself for the play. I knew what they were going to do. I had witnessed it many times and it worked flawlessly for unsuspecting goal tenders. Too bad for them, I was not your average goalie. Gunnar, with the puck in his possession, looked like he was going to try and shoot from his left, but in reality he was going to turn a full circle and pass the puck to Olaf on the other side of the net. I played along and pretended to go the same way as Gunnar, but at the last second I maneuvered my body in the opposite direction and was rewarded with a saved goal. My teammates cheered as I flung the puck onto the ice.

I grinned at the stunned faces of Olaf and Gunnar. "Sorry boys," I joked, "Looks like I'm too fast for you and it seems like your tricks are getting old. You might have to come up with some new ones." Olaf smirked and told me to watch out as they would certainly have plays that had never been seen before.

"I guess this means we shouldn't go easy on you," Gunnar spoke, his eyes holding a mischievous glint. I swallowed, unsure what to say. "Well then, expect to be on your toes Julie the Cat," and with a wink, the Viking captain skated back to his team.

* * *

Connie Moreau eyed her best friend as she dug in the closet, muttering under her breath. "Nothing to wear" and "stupid club" were the repeated phrases that Connie could distinguish. She finally decided to say something when an article of clothing came flying at her face.

"Julie, what in the world is the matter with you?"

"I don't know what to wear," was the muffled reply. Connie sighed and pushed herself off her bed. She grabbed Julie's shoulders and pulled hard. The two girls tumbled backwards with clothes flying around them. Today was Friday, the last day before a week's vacation at the lake. It was 3 in the afternoon and the whole group had just returned from shopping for supplies for the following week. Tonight was a night for celebration and so the entire company was going out dancing. The two Lady Ducks were in their room and one was currently having issues with clothing choices.

"Jules it's just dancing," said the brunette girl. "Wear something that you'll feel comfortable in. Preferably an outfit that you can move freely in." Just as the fair haired goalie was about to protest, Marria and Michelle walked into the room.

"Well doesn't it look like a war zone in here," observed Marria. She and Michelle pulled the younger women upright and declared that they were going shopping. They wouldn't take no for an answer and proceeded to drag the other two out into the city. A couple hours later, the quartet returned to their suite to prepare for the upcoming event.

* * *

To say the club was filled with people was an understatement. The club was indeed packed with bodies, making it slightly difficult to walk around. Luckily, the two hockey teams were reserved a VIP section towards the back of the establishment. There wasn't a set time for the teams to be there so people arrived whenever. The first group to appear consisted of the Bash Brothers (including Little Bash Brother Ken Wu), Luis, Dwayne, Niesel, and Amssalik. They seated themselves on the couches and waited for the rest to come. Within the next hour almost every member of the teams were seated in the VIP section. The group was talking and there seemed to be little hostility between the opposing teams. Perhaps it was the surrounding atmosphere that mellowed the attitudes of the teens. Suddenly, someone asked where the women of the group were.

Guy spoke up, "We're right across the hall from them and they were close to ready when we left."

"Yes," confirmed Olaf. "They said they would come right after us. I'm not so sure if I believe that now." They all looked at each other and questions ensued.

"Do you think they got lost?"

"No. Maybe, they had to go back for something?"

"Or maybe they did get lost."

"Or maybe they're just taking their sweet time primping themselves."

"Or maybe, if you used your eyes, you can see them already on the dance floor," stated Stansson. And in fact, the Iceland coach was correct. It was easy to identify the Iceland trainer and Ms. McKay, but what caught all the boys by surprise were the two young women with them. The woman dubbed "The Velvet Hammer" was dressed in a form fitting, baby blue asymmetrical dress and black flats. (**A/N:** The dress has only one strap over the right shoulder. It looks like it's wrapped around the body and it ends just above the knees). Part of her hair was pulled into a messy bun while the rest hung loosely.

"Hmm, she looks good doesn't she?" Olaf commented softly to Gunnar beside him. Gunnar however, was staring at the woman beside Connie. She wore a denim skirt paired with a red halter top and black ballet flats. She turned slightly and golden waves of hair cascaded down her back. His breath caught in his chest.

The boys were preoccupied whispering amongst each other that no one noticed the women had finally joined them. "What's so interesting that you're all talking under your breaths as if it's some secret?" Sputtering, the boys all tried to compose themselves and claimed there was no secret. Bombay tried to mask his laughter as Stansson rolled his eyes and pulled Marria to the dance floor.

"I didn't know Stansson could dance," remarked Bombay. "He can't," answered the entire Iceland Team. This time the American coach laughed outright. He then asked Ms. McKay to dance and told the rest to mingle with the crowd and go dance.

_**Connie POV**_

I was watching the dance floor with Julie and commenting on how Coach Stansson was trying to dance. I wanted to dance as well and I was trying to convince Julie to go out there with me. She was vehemently saying no and I was about to give up when Gunnar suddenly appeared. We exchange greetings then after an awkward pause, he asked Julie if she wanted to dance. I decided to play matchmaker. Julie had admitted to me not long ago that she was harboring some feelings for the Viking star. I declared that I was in need of a drink and non to subtly pushed my best friend into Gunnar's arms.

"Oops," I said, ignoring Julie's glare. "Excuse me, I'm tripping over my own feet. Oh don't mind me. You two have a good time dancing. Don't let the music go to waste." I knew Julie couldn't argue so I gave a little wave as I turned away.

"Well aren't you quite the little cupid." I started as I heard a deep voice beside me. I looked up into clear blue eyes. "Are you opposed?" I asked. He shook his head no and said that he was happy for his friend. A hand suddenly came into my vision. "Would you like to dance?" I looked at the hand dumbfounded. I was dimly aware of someone calling my name; it sounded like Guy. But before I had second thoughts, I placed my hand in the one in front of me, and followed Olaf Sanderson onto the dance floor.


	9. Chapter 9: Bonding Time Second Half

**Summary: **The first week is now over and quite a few things have happened and what is going on with the two Lady Ducks. So what happens now? What will the following week bring us?

**Disclaimer: **Do not and will not ever own.

**A/N: **Oh my lovely readers (whoever is left out there if any), thanks for hanging on. I'm so sorry about the extensive delay of the next chapter, but here it is. I won't bother with excuses so here is the following chapter. I also ask that you bear with me while I try to get the rest of my story out. I'm still figuring out where to go with this. Please enjoy!

**Expecting the Unexpected**

**Chapter 9: Bonding Time (Second Half)**

_Recap: Scavenger hunt. Tuesday was spent at the animal shelter. Wednesday saw the hockey players teaching little kids to play hockey. Thursday was practice time and Friday was a free day and a night out in the club._

**At Lake Superior**

The two hockey teams had arrived at Lake Superior three days ago and the young adults were getting used to not having anything to do. The first day they had spent sprawled on the beach by the lake, soaking up the rays of the beautiful sun. It was a little unnerving at first because no one had any idea what to do. As much as they complained about the last week, they were at ease knowing what the next day would bring. Now everything was up to them and so they found themselves scratching their heads at what to do next.

* * *

**Cabin 5, about 5:00 am**

Guy Germaine lay awake staring at the ceiling of the cabin he shared with his fellow teammate Charlie. He sighed deeply, thinking about the events that happened Friday night. He let out another frustrated sigh and turned on his side.

"And what exactly has you sighing so much at the ass crack of dawn?" asked a sleepy voice behind him. Guy turned around to see Charlie, propped up on one elbow giving him the best glare he could.

"Oh sorry man," Guy replied, feeling guilty at waking his roommate. "I'll shut up so you can go back to bed. It's nothing really."

Charlie raised an eyebrow at his longtime friend. "Bullshit it's nothing," he declared. "I've known you for years Guy. Don't try to pass this off and since I can't go back to sleep, you might as well tell me what's up with you."

Guy contemplated telling Charlie what exactly was going through his head, but he didn't want to sound like a girl. Then again, he needed confirmation that what he did wasn't bad…or was it? Drawing a deep breath, he told Charlie what transpired that Friday night.

"Oh God," Guy suddenly exclaimed. "Now that I've said it out loud, maybe what I did wasn't good?" Charlie shook his head trying to find the right words to help his friend out of the predicament he was in.

"Look man," Charlie started. "You and Connie have been through a lot of stuff over the years. You guys dated for god knows how long and truthfully, I'm surprised you two made it that long. But you two also mutually broke up and agreed that seeing other people would be best for you both-"

"But that was recent!" interrupted Guy.

"That was a year ago Guy! Are you having second thoughts?" asked Charlie. "Guy, Connie is a big girl. I'm gonna be harsh and it's only because you need to hear it. She's moved on. It's been a year and she's decided to move on. Like I said before, you two have a lot of history and I'm sure she still cares about you. But, just not in that way, you know. It's good that your still friends 'cause if you weren't, the team would be hit hard. We're all in a different place now Guy. We're going to be graduating soon and now we've got this game to focus on. We have to get along with Iceland and if that also comes to Connie and Olaf getting together, then so be it."

Silence enveloped the cabin as Charlie watched how his friend would react to what he said. A number of emotions flitted across the other man's face; shock, anger, happiness, sadness, guilt, defeat. It was a while before any of the two said anything. The sun had already risen halfway, casting its light through the slits in the blinds giving the room a zebra-like appearance. In just an hour or two the rest of the teams would be up and about, but for now, it was still only them.

"It's not just her you know," Guy said finally; quietly. "Julie's drifting too. Well, maybe drifting isn't the right word, but they seem to be getting along fine with Olaf and Gunnar. I know I shouldn't have yelled at Connie like that, but seeing her holding hands with him…dancing with him. I just kinda lost it. I was mad at Julie too…for dancing with Gunnar. I wanted to tell her that she was looking the wrong way. I mean, Adam's been there for her a lot and she's just…" Guy trailed off, not knowing what he was going to say. However, despite his apparent dislike for the situation, he knew what he had to do.

"You have to apologize Guy."

"I know."

* * *

**At a park by the lake**

Connie and Julie decided to take a walk at a nearby park to escape from people and talk about recent issues that had surfaced. They were currently swinging, taking in the sun and breathing the fresh air.

"So," began Julie. "What happens now?" The brunette by her side sighed before answering.

"I don't know Jules. How could he yell at me like that when I haven't done anything wrong? I was just dancing for crying out loud. I didn't realize that was such a sin! It's not like I was making out with some random person or something. And it's already been a year since I was with anyone. I'm not even with anyone right now! One dance. Just one stupid dance and he freaks out on me. You have it so much easier Jules."

The fair haired goalie snorted, giving her best friend a look of disbelief. "Oh trust me," she said. "I don't have it easy. I may not have it as hard as you, but it definitely hasn't been smooth sailing for me either." She ran a hand through her loose hair, feeling the silkiness of it. She rarely kept her hair down only doing so on for certain occasions. Last Friday night had been such an occasion, which also reminded her of her own trouble.

"I like him Cons," the blonde blurted out. "I mean, I think I'm starting to really like him. He's changed from four years ago and he's not that thick headed jerk that I thought he was. But I can't even do anything because I get so much lip from the guys. Not just from our guys, but the Iceland guys too."

"Urrrgghhhhh," groaned Connie. "What the heck is wrong with boys?"

"There's absolutely nothing wrong with us," answered an accented voice behind the Lady Ducks. The two girls whipped around so fast they almost fell from their swings.

"How long have you been standing there?" demanded Connie, trying to keep the panic out of her voice.

* * *

**Volleyball game, 2 pm**

"Man can we please take a break?" asked Goldberg who was bent over trying to catch his breath. With the exception of a couple people, both teams were playing a friendly game of volleyball. And if you mean friendly as in spiking the ball at unsuspecting players, then yes, it was "friendly." The two teams had improved their relations with each other enough to play alongside each other.

"I'm starving! Can we please get something to eat? We've been at this for three hours now."

"Oh God yes! Food sounds amazing right now!

"Yah, I could go for some Hákarl right now."

"Amssalik you hate Hákarl…"

"Yes, well I could eat anything right now."

"Alright, alright! Let us go get food then before Goldberg faints over there."

"Hey, by the way. Has anyone seen the girls? Averman asked, looking around for his female teammates.

"Now that you mention it, Weyden is not here either," observed Olaf. Both teams gave each other questioning glances before shrugging their shoulders and continuing in their search for food.

* * *

**Back at the park**

The two Lady Ducks gave identical "deer-in-headlight" looks to the Viking defender standing before them. It would just be their luck to have the unfriendly Icelander listening to their conversation.

"Relax," he said. "I did not hear anything you did not want me to hear." Both girls eyed him skeptically. "Ok, so I heard the last bit, but it is not like I am going to run to Gunnar and tell him."

"Why are you even here Weyden?" asked Julie. "I thought you would be with your buddies causing trouble or doing whatever."

"I am sorry," Weyden said suddenly. "We, how do you say it, got off on the wrong foot? Make no mistake. I do still feel some resentment for you stopping Gunnar's winning shot. I mean, you were fresh off the bench and you just suddenly caught his puck. It was like you knew what he was going to do."

Julie and Connie stared at the Icelander not knowing what to say. Julie had indeed known what the Iceland star was going to do, but she was not about to reveal that. Plus, she was still puzzled as to why Weyden had apologized.

"You know, you two can stop staring anytime. I mean I know I am good looking, but really?"

After a pause, all three teenagers burst out laughing and they knew that the ice was broken and a friend had been gained. Somehow or other, they eventually found themselves running around the park playing tag and other lost childhood games. Three hours had passed before they decided to find a place for dinner. About 20 minutes later they were seated at an outdoor part of an Italian restaurant. Weyden began to tease Julie about Gunnar as Connie laughed on. Unknown to them, someone across the street was watching the trio with apparent distaste on his face.

* * *

**Outside cabin 3, Weyden POV**

I had really enjoyed myself despite my initial hesitation. I thought for sure that I would be beaten by Julie and Connie. I do acknowledge that though they may be women, they know how to throw punches. Of course it comes with being the only two females in a male dominated hockey team. I was walking back to my cabin when I heard footsteps behind me.

"Weyden." Oh great. What does he want now? No doubt to tell me to get on Olaf and Gunnar's case.

"Yes?" I answered as I turned to face my formidable coach. Wolf Stansson was not a man you wanted to disappoint. He had this nasty habit of exacting revenge on anyone who has done him wrong. If you even looked at him the wrong way he would have you in a headlock.

"You seem to be getting along fine with those girls." Damn, he must have seen us at the park, or maybe at dinner.

"Yes, we have worked out whatever differences we had. After all, are we not supposed to get along with them?"

"Are you following in Gunnar and Olaf's footsteps now? Never mind, just remember that you have a job to do. I suggest you do it soon. We cannot have that many people knowing how to do a knuckle puck. The less there are the better. You better take care of it."

I have never in my life wanted to hit someone so badly as I did then. Exactly how far is he willing to go to sabotage this game? I watched him walk away arrogantly and I just shook my head. I knew I had a job to do, but whether I actually carry it out has now become questionable. I needed to think my priorities over.

* * *

**The next day, at a remote café**

Wolf Stansson sat at a table tapping his fingers impatiently on the glass table. People passed by, not sparing him a single glance. He scanned the crowd for the woman he was waiting for.

"And who exactly are you looking for?" asked a female voice. He turned around and smiled at the woman beside him. "Took you long enough," he retorted.

"Well excuse me! I had to get away from Gordon. He was asking questions and I just covered for you so you better be happy that I didn't get here any later."

Stansson sighed then smirked. "Well then Michelle, tell me what you have learned."

* * *

**Two days before the game**

Both teams and their coaches were seated on the floor of an auditorium beside the lake. Don Tibbles informed them that this was their last day of freedom before their day of practice and finally the anticipated game. He kept rambling on about how it had been a great time the past week or so. No one was paying any attention anymore as they had all stopped listening after "this is your last day to enjoy before practice and the game."

Bombay observed the large group with amused eyes. A majority of the people were looking longingly out the door. The Bash Brothers were shooting Tibbles deadly looks that promised something bad was going to happen if he didn't stop talking. Stansson, stoic as usual, was talking with his trainer. Gunnar, Olaf, and Gustav were in a little group apart from the others. The Iceland star kept shooting furtive glances toward a certain blond haired female goalie. 'Hmm, interesting," Bombay thought to himself.

Michelle McKay made her way to the Duck coach dodging the various bodies that lay, stood, or sat in her way. She heard him chuckle, but saw no one was with him. "And what exactly are you laughing about," she asked as she reached him.

Bombay turned slightly and answered "I think our Cat needs to be more aware. It seems a certain Viking is out to catch her."

"Oh I don't know. I think our Cat is quite aware of that and dare I say, I don't think she would mind being caught," Michelle said. "Now, in a more serious matter. I sat down with Stansson yesterday. Gordon, he is hell bent on winning this game. He will do anything, and I mean anything to ensure his team's victory."

"What did you tell him?"

"What you told me to tell him. That Goldberg has been reinstated as the primary goalie. That Adam's wrist has been bothering him lately and that he had to make sure no one would hit it again. I think Stansson plans on having Olaf go after Adam again."

"That may be so, but I have a feeling those boys no longer listen to Stansson as much as they used to."

"Still Gordon, I would be careful. I'm not sure if he bought everything I told him, but he certainly believed some of it. However you need to tell the team to be on their toes these last two days before the game. Maria and I have already talked to the girls."

Bombay nodded and called his team to him since the meeting was finally over.

* * *

**Gunnar POV**

I cannot believe that I am actually doing this. I do not even know why I am so nervous. Plenty of girls have thrown themselves at me, not to be arrogant or anything, but yet here I am fearing rejection from the beautiful American goalie. I do not know when it started, this whole attraction to Julie. I have always thought her to be pretty, but spending this past week with her, talking with her, my feelings have grown. I see her walking away with Connie. I jog after them calling Julie's name.

"Uh, hello," I start. 'Oh, great way to start,' I think to myself. "Could I talk to you for a bit," I ask hesitantly. She smiles, agrees, and tells Connie that she will meet up with her later.

"So, Gunnar what's up?" she asks me. I lead her away from the big group and sit under a large tree overlooking the lake. She places herself beside me.

"Well," I began. "Since this is our last day of freedom as that annoying man has said. I was wondering if you would like to spend it with me? I mean…I do not mean the whole day exactly, but well…" Julie was kind enough to not say anything. "What I am asking," I continued. "Is, would you like to explore this place with me. See sights we have not seen and possibly have dinner? I will, of course pay, since I am the one offering this."

I waited for her reply which seemed like ages, but was actually only mere seconds. A miniscule blush spread over her cheeks and she smiled softly up at me.

"Yes," she answered. "I would love to spend the day with you."


	10. 10: Dates, Discussions, and Disasters

**Summary: **The week is coming to an end and everyone makes the most of their last day. Dates are taking place, apologies are about to be made, and something sinister seems to be lurking around the corner. What could possibly happen in this last day of freedom?

**Disclaimer: **Do not and never will own the Mighty Ducks (movies and characters alike)

**A/N: **Another chappie yay! I have to say that this story is nearing its end and hopefully it's not going to be a lame end This chapter is a much longer one and might get a little mushy. Special thanks to Green Fern for waiting it out. I promise to update as soon as I can. Please enjoy reading!

**Expecting the Unexpected**

**Chapter 10: Dates, Discussions, and Disasters**

_Recap: Guy feeling guilty. Connie/Julie/Weyden time. Stansson's evil plans. Gunnar asking Julie out on a date._

"Connie, are you sure this outfit is okay? I mean, what if I get cold? Shouldn't I bring like a jacket or something?"

"Jules, it's in the high 80s right now. I doubt you are going to need a jacket."

"I meant later in the day. You know how the temperature drops 20 degrees! I don't want to be shivering. That would be so not cute."

"Then let's just assume that he's bringing his jacket and like the gentleman that we know he is, he can loan his to you. Come on Cat Lady, you look awesome and you should probably put your shoes on because the Viking God is about to knock on our door."

Julie Gaffney rolled her eyes at her best friend calling Gunnar the "Viking God." Not that she was disagreeing, but what a nickname. Seconds later a knock sounded on the door indicating that he was there.

"C'mon! Go!" Connie said as she pushed Julie towards the door. "Go get him tiger!"

Julie eyed the brunette woman before asking, "Conns…are you gonna be okay? You know, when you meet up with Guy?"

Connie sighed. "Jules, I'll be fine. I'm not going to rip his head off if that's what you're worried about. Now don't think about me. Go have fun with Gunnar and you WILL be spilling details when you get back!"

* * *

**With the others**

"Yo Russ, Averman! You guys wanna see what's downtown? I really don't want to stay here and listen to Tibbles go on about hockey and how much we've grown."

"Oh come on Charlie. Isn't that what you've always wanted to hear? That you've grown up and you're not that little kid that followed coach everywhere?" teased Averman.

"Averman, I swear you're the one that hasn't grown," Banks said.

"Hey y'all" Dwayne drawled. "Y'all wanna ask the others if they wanna come too?"

"Good idea. Hey guys! We're going downtown if you want to tag along!" Charlie yelled towards the bigger group lounging around, effectively catching the attention of both Ducks and Vikings. There was some talk before the group was literally split in half. One group was heading downtown and the other group decided to see what was in the opposite direction.

"Alright, see you guys later! Tell us if you find anything interesting," Charlie told the other group.

"Or ANYONE interesting," added Niesel, making them all laugh.

"Oh, we'll make sure to tell you guys if we find any babes," Portman assured him.

"Yes, Niesel. Maybe we can find you an American girlfriend who will not stalk you when you decide to break up!" Weyden said to the Viking goalie's retreating back. He was rewarded with a glare.

"Whoa wait. What about stalking and ex-girlfriends?" inquired Portman to a laughing Weyden.

"Come, let us walk and I will tell you about Niesel's women troubles."

It had almost been two weeks and it was easy to see that both teams have grown to enjoy each other's company. It was amazing how being in such close quarters for such a short time can bring rivals together. Despite their earlier differences, there was no resentment between the two teams. There were talks of visiting each other when the ordeal was over. There were even talks of attending the same colleges between the two groups. All seems to be well; however the same could not be said for the two coaches. Although Bombay was happy to see the teens getting along, as they should be (they were too young to be holding lifetime grudges), Stansson was a different matter.

"Yeesh! He looks like he sat on something sharp and it got lodged up his a-"

"Gordon Bombay!" chastised Michelle. "You're lucky that he's not around to hear you say that."

"With the way he is going, I doubt he would care at all."

"Maria! I didn't see you there. Oh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that," apologized Bombay.

"I do not care," said the Viking trainer. "Well, let me rephrase that. I should care, but I do not. Wolf has been very strict on the boys. He trains them hard into the ground. I am surprised that they are all still here. I had expected them to leave once the Goodwill Games were over. Anyways, I came here to tell you to be careful. I think he is about to do something drastic. I overheard him talking to someone on the phone about making something look like an accident. I do not like the sound of it and I just hope that he does not do anything illegal. Please be careful."

"Maria-"

"I cannot say anymore now. I have to go, he is calling me. Michelle, be careful. If he finds out what you have done, I cannot guarantee what he will do. He may have enough common sense to not lay a finger on a woman, but anything else, he is not above doing. Good-bye."

Bombay and Michelle watched Maria walk away, her warning lingering heavily in the air.

"Do you think he would really do something?" Michelle asked, her voice laced with worry.

"I don't know, Michelle. I don't know."

* * *

**A random picnic site**

Two people sat comfortably on a blanket, their lunch displayed before them. The sun was shining brightly and there was a small breeze to counter the heat. It seemed like a perfect setting except for the heavy silence between the two currently sitting on the blanket. The woman waited patiently for her partner to speak, sensing that he needed to say something.

"Um, well if you want to eat, go ahead," the man said. The woman nodded her head, but made no move towards the food.

"Okay, I suppose I should just get this out now. Look, Connie, I didn't mean to lash out at you like that. I'm, well I'm-"

"Sorry?" interrupted Connie. "Just say it Guy, it's not that hard."

"Yes, okay I'm sorry. But, I had my own reasons for saying that stuff. I just…I didn't like seeing you with Olaf."

"Guy thanks for your concern, but I can take care of myself."

"That's not it! I don't think he's good for you. You don't know if he's really changed or not. For all we know, he could just be pretending. I just don't want to see you get hurt."

Connie looked at the man who she had spent most of her life with. She knew he was refraining from saying what he really meant. He had forgotten that she was the one person he couldn't lie to. "Guy, what do you really want to say?" she asked him.

"What? What do you mean? I'm telling you why I flipped out on you Friday night."

"No, you're telling me what I want to hear. You're holding something back; you're not telling me everything. Come on, out with it. I'd rather you not beat around the bush."

"I'm not holding anything back! Why won't you believe me? Like I said before, I don't want you to get hurt. I think it's too so-" Guy stopped himself before he revealed what he was truly feeling. He didn't want Connie to know that a year seemed too soon. He wanted her to wait longer to see if she no longer had feelings for him.

"You think it's too soon!" Connie exclaimed, her voice rising a little. Guy knew he should have stopped himself sooner, but when it came to her, he seemed to lack a filter.

"No, that's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean? It's been a year Guy. I think that's a reasonable amount of time for us to find ourselves without each other. At least I wasn't with some random dude a week after we broke up. I was hurting at that time Guy and I was not looking for rebound partners. I gave myself time to get used to not being with you all the time. Believe me, it was hard, but I think I deserve something now. Don't you?"

"Do you like him that much?"

"What? Who?"

"Olaf, Connie! Do you like him that much? I remember when you said you hated him. I remember you saying you would punch him the moment you saw him again. And what do you do instead? You go off and dance with him! That's a far cry from punching if you ask me."

Connie had been on the verge of flying off the handle and living up to her nickname of "The Velvet Hammer." But hearing Guy's last words, she realized what he was trying to say.

"Is that what this is all about?" she asked softly, looking Guy in the eyes. "Guy, he's been so nice to me. He's been polite, not like the arrogant ass he was four years ago. He even apologized to me for the crap he did back then. He's changed, Guy. I know you see that too. But to answer your question; yes, I do like Olaf, but I don't know if I like him more than a friend. That Friday night, he only asked me to dance and without any thought, I just decided to go with it."

"I know he's changed Conns. They all have and thank God for that. I don't think I told you, but the very first night we were all thrown together, he said sorry to Banksie for what he did. The four of us, Gunnar, Olaf, me, and Banksie, we all got along right off the bat." There was short pause before he continued. "He's interested in you, you know? That's part of the reason why I got so upset. I wanted to tell him to back off, but I had no place to say that. Sorry, Conn, I still care a lot about you and it's hard knowing that you don't feel the same."

"Oh Guy," Connie sighed. "I do care about you. I will always care about you. There is no way I could ever forget the time we were together. You'll always have a place in my heart, but I just think that we've gotten so used to each other. It's like a routine and I don't want that for us. You deserve better than that."

"That's really a lot to take in, but I guess I should be happy that you still care about me. You'll always have a place in my heart too. Jeez that sounded corny, but it's true. I'm sorry again for yelling at you and if you do decide that you like Olaf, then I guess I can support you. You know, even though I said he wasn't good for you, somehow I feel that he really is."

Connie smiled, "Yeah? You think so too?"

* * *

**Sightseeing around the lake**

Julie and Gunnar spent the better half of the day walking (hand in hand to Julie's delight) around the edge of the lake and exploring the stores and other attractions around it. Along the way they met many interesting people, some who recognized them from the Goodwill Games four years ago. It was now in the late afternoon and though the forecast called for hot weather well into the night, it looked like Mother Nature decided to take a turn. The temperature had dropped at least 15 degrees and the wind was blowing harder than it had earlier. Julie involuntarily shuddered when another gust of wind came by. She hugged herself, wishing she had brought a jacket like she originally planned to. Damn Connie for talking her out of it. She was about to suggest to Gunnar to find a warm place to sit when she felt a small weight drop on her shoulders. She looked down to see Gunnar's own jacket covering her. She looked to the Icelander beside her, now only clad in jeans and a short sleeve shirt.

"Oh, but won't you be cold?" Julie asked her companion, feeling happy and guilty at the same time.

"I will be fine. You on the other hand are shivering rather uncontrollably." Gunnar placed his hand on her cheek. "We need to get you somewhere nice and warm. You feel quite cold"

Julie smiled and pulled the jacket tighter around her. "Well thank you for lending me your jacket, but you are right. We should get inside. I don't want you to be cold either. How about we go get dinner?"

"Yes, that sounds perfect," Gunnar replied. "You are still cold," he stated soon after seeing Julie shudder again.

"Sorry," Julie mumbled. "I don't mean to. It's kind of involuntary, but the jacket is warming me up."

"Let us go get our dinner then, yes?" Gunnar suggested, to which Julie nodded her approval. The Viking star then wrapped an arm around the fair haired goalie and pulled her closer to him. Julie leaned into him and smiled, wishing the day wouldn't end so soon.

The pair arrived at a fairly well known Indian restaurant and they were seated quickly after. Minutes later they were delving into their food. Neither one uttered a word for quite some time as they were busy eating and observing the restaurant.

"So," Gunnar started after taking a long drink from his glass. "Did you have fun today? I know it was not very exciting to be just walking around a lake, but I thought it would be a nice change from the fast pace of the past week."

"I had tons of fun today! It's been a while since I've just walked around and relaxed. I loved meeting those people we met today. Especially that older European woman who went off talking about how we would make beautiful babies! It was kind of awkward at first, but what's the harm in letting her imagine."

Gunnar laughed, remembering that conversation. The old woman was convinced the two (Julie and Gunnar) would be married within a couple years and would be producing "beautiful babies that will capture the hearts of everyone around them." Although he had taken it as a joke, the thought presented itself in his mind several times throughout the day.

"I am glad you enjoyed yourself today. It has been a while since I have been on a date. I almost did not ask you, but Olaf and Gustav convinced me and now I am happy they did."

Julie laughed. "You have smart friends there," she commented. "So what about you? Did you have fun today?"

"That question does not even need to be answered. Any man would take pleasure in spending a day with a beautiful woman like you. I hope I am not being to forward, but after this game is over, I do hope to see you again?"

Julie resisted the urge to jump up and do a happy dance, so instead she settled for looking Gunnar in his eyes and saying yes. However, her answer was left unsaid as she found herself lost in those eyes. She could never figure out what color they were. At times they looked to be blue and yet other times, they seemed to have hints of green. Such beautiful eyes. She could stare into them forever and never tire. In fact, she was so absorbed in his eyes that she didn't notice his face getting closer. She suddenly remembered that he had asked a question and snapped out of her trance. It was only then that she registered how close their faces were. She parted her lips to let out a small "eep!" of surprise, but was interrupted when she felt Gunnar's lips on her own.

* * *

**Uptown boys**

"Oh hey, that chick's pretty hot," commented Portman as he watched a leggy blonde walk down the other side of the street.

"No, no no. That one right there with the blue shirt is better."

"Are you all blind! That woman in the red top beats out every other one here!"

They boys were currently eating their dinner at a diner with an outside patio. Because of their large group, they had taken over the patio. They had spent the day exploring the upper side of the town/city and found it to be quite rural. They found a skate park and tried their hand at skateboarding, which some found to be easy. Then they were chased out of a high fashion store doing the same thing that some Ducks had done four years ago. (A/N: When Averman, Goldberg, Dwayne, and Jesse had their little "shopping" adventure).

Jesse observed the interactions between his own teammates and the Icelanders. They looked normal, just like a group of friends hanging out on a summer night. Joking around, arguing about which girl passing by is better looking, typical "guy" stuff. Then he turned to Olaf who was sitting next to him.

"So, Olaf. Where's your body double?

"Huh?" the Icelander asked intelligently.

"Haha, sorry. I meant where's Gunnar?"

"Oh, yes. Well, he is out with a certain Lady Duck. It was rather annoying watching him decided whether to ask her on a date or not so Gustav and I pushed him."

"Whoo nice going, but I think you may have made a certain cake eat-Banksie sad."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed? Adam is so into Julie, it's not even funny. Oh crap, maybe I shouldn't have told you that. Oh well. But like I was saying, if Adam finds out, I don't think he's gonna be too happy about it."

"You make it sound like he will do something about it."

"Oh no! Don't misunderstand. He's going to be upset, but he's a good guy. He's not gonna do something stupid to break Gunnar and Julie up. But since, we're on the topic. What about you?"

"Me? I would never do that. Did I not just say I had to push Gunnar into asking her out?"

"I wasn't talking about Julie man," Jesse said, looking at Olaf carefully. "I was referring to Connie."

Before Olaf could answer, a unpleasant hacking noise came from the other side of the table. One of the Duck members seemed to be choking on a piece of food. However, when one of the Icelander's performed the Heimlich maneuver, nothing was dislodged. Suddenly, Goldberg's breath came in wheezes and his face paled and began turning blue.

"OH SHIT! SOMEONE CALL 9-1-1!"

* * *

**Now what have our downtown boys been up to?**

"I'm walkin' on sunshine! WOOAHH!"

"Averman shut up! I swear to God you have lost your sense of inhibition," Charlie yelled at his friend who was currently singing "Walking on Sunshine" at the top of his lungs. Passerby's laughed at the group, some even clapped.

"Oh you are just joking Charlie," Amssalik spoke. "You know you enjoy his singing. In fact, why do we not all join him!"

"Don't you dare start singing too!" exclaimed the Duck captain. The group laughed and continued walking down the street.

"I'm beginning to think this was a bad idea," Charlie commented to Adam walking beside him.

The other man laughed. "Are you kidding me! This is priceless. I'm just glad that we're not at each other's throats now. Oh hey, it's probably not any of my business, but what's up with Guy and Connie?"

"Uh, well, they had a bit of a falling out. You remember Friday night? When Olaf and Connie were dancing." Adam nodded his head. "Yeah, well Guy just kinda lost it and went off on Connie about it. They were outside so that's why we didn't see any of it, but I guess they were yelling at each other for a good part of the night."

"Damn that sucks! He still cares about her." The last part was said as statement more than a question.

"Yeah, they're gonna talk about it today. Well, I'm assuming they already talked it over. Hopefully they don't end up screaming at each other again."

There was a slight pause before Adam said anything. "He likes her you know."

"I'd expect him to. I mean they dated for so long. You never really saw one without the other."

"No Charlie. Not Guy. I'm talking about Olaf. He likes Connie. I've seen the way he is around her. That Friday night was just the beginning."

Charlie was startled at Adam's words, but he could not deny that he was recently thinking the same thing. "I know what you mean. I thought I was just seeing things, but he's been really nice to her and Connie acts differently when she's around him."

"You mean that she actually acts like a girl?"

They share a laugh and run to catch up with the rest of their group who had stopped and were staring into one of the restaurants.

"Hey guys, what're you all staring at?" questioned Charlie. Niesel pointed to a particular window. Charlie followed his finger and rendered speechless at what he saw. He then whipped his head around to look at Adam, who at that moment was struggling to keep a composed face.

On the other side of the glass that everyone was staring through was none other than their Viking captain and Lady Duck goalie. And they were kissing.

"Adam-" Charlie began, but was cut off when a screeching of tires burst the silence then everything turned upside down. A green pickup truck came around the corner followed by a police car. The truck was heading towards a black Cadillac on the other lane, but the driver managed to crank the wheel only to drive into the pedestrian crossing. Which a fellow Duck was currently crossing.

"RUSS WATCH OUT!"


	11. Chapter 11: Chaos and Revelations

**Summary: **Tragedy strikes as two members of the American team are hospitalized. What will this mean for team? Will this affect the upcoming game? And were these accidents really "accidents?"

**Disclaimer: **I do not and never will own the movies or characters.

**A/N: **So I'm thinking that this will be the second to last chapter of this story. I'm sorry and thank you to my readers (whoever is left out there) for bearing with my slow and sloppy updating. Please enjoy this chapter.

**Expecting the Unexpected**

**Chapter 11: Chaos and Revelations**

_Recap: Julie/Gunnar date. Guy/Connie talk. Goldberg and Russ accidents._

**Julie POV**

Oh my God! Gunnar Stahl was kissing me! I was kissing Gunnar Stahl, the Viking God that every girl was after. I had noticed over the past two weeks all the longing stares and date proposals and glares sent my way for being next to him. At one point, I had a drink spilled on me just because I was sitting next to him! These women are freaking crazy, but I bit my tongue. And plus, Gunnar told the woman off for me. Well, in a friendly manner because it wouldn't do to have him being mean. Anyways, I just about melted when I felt his lips against mine. I didn't know what to do at first, but then I just found myself responding. It was pure heaven and I wanted it to go on, but a shout from outside jerked both of us out of our dream state.

"RUSS WATCH OUT!"

* * *

**Normal POV**

Julie and Gunnar jolted, breaking their kiss when they heard the warning shout. The next thing they heard were tires screeching, then an outburst of screaming. They look out the window to see their fellow teammates crowding around a green truck and both immediately thought the worst. They rushed outside as fast as they could; apologizing to people they bumped into on the way. Their teammates had formed a circle around the scene effectively shutting out curious bystanders.

"Charlie! Adam! What happened?" Julie inquired, halting before the two. However, before they could formulate an answer, she saw Gunnar rush to the wreck and start extracting a body. It wasn't until Gunnar had pulled the body half way out that she recognized who it was.

"Oh God!" she exclaimed, clamping a hand over her mouth, her eyes widened in shock and fear. Adam moved forward to help Gunnar with the body. They gently laid him down on the pavement and immediately looked for signs of breathing. The wailing of sirens that had sounded so distant were now blaring in everyone's ears. Julie could only stare at Russ as he laid unmoving on the ground.

"Averman! Charlie! Anyone! You've gotta call coach. You've gotta tell him that Russ got hit! He needs to meet us at the hospital now!"

The crowd had gotten larger, but the hockey players were in full control of them. They had formed a wall to keep people out and only broke to let the paramedics through. It was unclear how much damage was caused, but at least Russ was breathing. He was then placed on a stretcher and moved into the ambulance. Strangely enough, when the paramedics checked for the driver of the green truck, he was nowhere to be seen. Soon after, the ambulance was well on its way to the nearest hospital. The members of both hockey teams pooled their money to get taxis to bring them to the hospital. They could only hope that Russ would still be able to play in the upcoming game.

* * *

**Meanwhile…**

"Goldberg! Goldberg! Dammit man! Wake up! This isn't funny! Gold, seriously man!"

Several of the boys had taken to slapping or shaking the Duck defender in attempts to wake him up. One of the fellow diner goers was kind enough to dial 9-1-1 while the boys were busy freaking out about what to do. Goldberg's face had now turned a deep blue and the boys were about ready to just run him down to the nearest clinic or hospital. Thankfully, the ambulance came quickly and hastened to the closest hospital.

"We need to call coach," stated Portman. "He needs to know what happened then we need to catch a ride to the hospital." He took out his phone and dialed in Bombay's number. A few minutes passed where the conversation went from informing to full on panic.

"Portman what happened?" asked his fellow Bash Brother. "Portman dude, you look like you've had the crap scared out of you. Talk to us man."

Everyone looked at the said Bash Brother, waiting for him to collect himself and update them on his conversation with the Duck coach.

"Guys. It's bad…it's really bad. Coach is already at the hospital, but it's not…oh God. Russ got hit by a truck while he was crossing the street." Portman let out the breath he was holding and very slowly looked around his group of friends, gauging their faces for their reactions. It took about a minute before the information sank in. Each person had identical looks of horror on their face and a second later there were shouts of "What!" "What the hell happened?" "Are you kidding me?" And finally, "Shit, we have to get to the hospital now! ASAP!" In less than five minutes, they were en route to the hospital.

"Bajer what is wrong?" Olaf suddenly asked, looking at his friend who had a very thoughtful face.

"Well, I was just thinking about what could have caused Goldberg to suddenly seize like that. Does anyone know if he is allergic to anything?" He paused as the current Duck members shook their heads no. "Okay then," he continued. "The only other thing I can think of is that he was poisoned."

"What!" exclaimed Jesse. "How do you figure that?"

"I was sitting next to him and I was the one to perform the Heimlich maneuver so I could detect the smell. It was not a very strong smell, but it was there nonetheless. I am not sure yet what poison was used so I bagged a little of the food Goldberg had ordered so I can look at it more closely."

The Ducks all looked at each other wondering the same thing. They then looked to their Viking counterparts and saw no change in their composure.

"So, uh," Jesse began. "You _smelled_ the poison? Like how the heck were you able to smell poison?"

The Viking boys looked at each other, smiles gracing their faces. "Let's just say that Bajer had a…fascination with poisons when he was younger," answered Weyden.

"Guys we're at the hospital!" Portman said a little too loudly.

* * *

The two groups of boys rushed into the ER at exactly the same time and occupied every available space there was in the room. They all simultaneously began asking each other questions. What happened? How did it happen? Was anyone else hurt? Where's coach? Should we call Stansson and let him know? None of the questions were answered as a collection of nurses with the help of some officers ushered the boys out an empty waiting room. It wasn't long after that Bombay came into the room followed by Michelle and Maria. The boys began to ask questions, but Bombay held his hand up and demanded to know what happened. After arguing over which group goes first, the boys got their stories out.

"We were walking down the sidewalk when we spotted Julie and Gunnar in a restaurant. We stopped to talk about it and whatnot and the next thing we hear is the squealing of tires. We watched this green truck come around a corner with a cop car after it. The truck almost hit this Cadillac, but then it turned at the last minute into the crosswalk where Russ just happened to be crossing," summarized Adam.

"All Julie and I heard was a shout and then screaming. We ran outside quickly only to see the aftermath and Russ. We did not see anything else," added Gunnar, holding Julie's hand in a reassuring way.

Bombay nodded his face grim. "And what happened to Goldberg?"

"He was poisoned," Bajer answered. He kept his eyes down, unwilling to meet Bombay's own. "That is what I think really happened," the Viking defender continued. "We were eating at a diner when suddenly Goldberg started to choke. I did the Heimlich several times trying to dislodge whatever it was that was stuck in his throat. Nothing was there, but I could detect a faint smell that is not a normal smell for a salad. Another guest dialed 9-1-1 for us and while we were waiting, Goldberg's face began turning colors. He lost consciousness soon after."

Michelle began to ask about the poison, but Maria cut her off. "Bajer, we need to know what kind of poison was used. Can you find that out for us?"

Bajer nodded, saying that he needed a little bit of time and the right resources to identify the poison and a guarantee that no one would find out about it. After everything was set in place, Bajer was taken back to his cabin to do his given task. The two teams remained in the waiting room anxiously waiting for news about their friends/teammates.

At about 2:00 a.m. the doctor attending to both Russ and Goldberg came into the room and cleared his throat. Luckily, Bombay and the game officials were awake and took the liberty of waking the rest of the people in the room.

"So Doctor, what's the news? Are the boys okay? They'll still be able to participate in the upcoming hockey game right?" inquired Bombay.

The doctor, a middle-aged man with bags under his eyes, sighed and slightly shook his head. "I am afraid that is not the case Mr. Bombay," he answered. "Initially they didn't look so bad, but after several tests, I can clearly say that neither of them can do anything besides lie in bed right now. I'm sorry, but they will not be able to play hockey for a while."

A chorus of enraged "Whats?" filled the air. The doctor held up his hand, asking for silence before he continued. "In Mr. Tyler's case, he was hit severely by that truck. As a result, he has a fractured tibia; more specifically he has a tibial plateau fracture. This means the fracture is right below his knee joint. It is crucial that he refrains from doing anything strenuous as it could hinder the healing process and increase chances of him developing knee arthritis."

"Oh my God!" exclaimed Connie, who had remained quiet for the duration of her stay in the waiting room. She clung onto Julie's hands and both girls began blinking back tears. The doctor pitied them, but he was not done with his news. He sorely wanted to leave it at that, however he knew that they were waiting for news on their other teammate. He sighed deeply before relating the rest of the bad news.

"As for Mr. Goldberg, contrary to what the people at the diner said, he actually did not choke on anything." The entire group nodded, knowing that in fact he was poisoned, but they let the doctor continue. "He was actually poisoned. Now, I'm not sure exactly what the poison was, but I can say that it is one I have not encountered before. And like your other teammate, Mr. Goldberg will also be unable to participate in the hockey game. His body is too weak to handle anything right now and I daresay that he would be better off the ice than on. I am truly sorry for you all. Now, if you please excuse me, I have to go check in on them again." He bowed slightly and left the large group to talk amongst themselves.

"So what will happen now?" asked Weyden looking at the older adults in the room and particularly the game officials who were standing off to the side by themselves. He observed them, in their suits. 'Why in the world are they in suits? They seem so out of place.' He thought to himself. Many thoughts were running through his head at the moment. Unanswered questions and rising suspicions battled themselves. He focused his attention on the faces of the officials and tried to gauge what they might be discussing. He saw one point to the larger group and another shook his head vehemently. The first man sighed then after a second's hesitation, nodded his consent. Both men turned to the larger group and suddenly Weyden had a creeping feeling that something bad was about to be said.

"Excuse us," one official said, clapping his hands to gather the attention of the people in the room. He adjusted his suit and fixed his gaze on every member of both teams before saying something. "We understand what a tragedy these events have been and we would like nothing more than anything to give you ample time to recover, but we cannot do that."

An outburst was about to ensue, but somehow or other, Bombay, Maria, and Michelle managed to prevent that from happening.

"What do you mean you can't do that?" demanded Bombay. "Can't you just postpone the game until both boys are better? You'll still get to watch the game, but it would be a little later than you expected. Couldn't you please make an exception?"

"I'm sorry, but our final answer is no," replied the same official. "The date is set and we cannot settle for any other date. We do have our own jobs and we can't just ignore them. Team U.S.A will have to play without two players. Though I will say, that should not be hard for you. After all, you have quite the talented team. Do you not, Coach Bombay?"

Before he could retaliate at the unfriendly attitude of the official, both men (the officials) walked out of the hospital, but not before the other official threw an apologetic glance at Bombay. The Duck coach had absolutely no idea what to do. He lost a defender and a goalie, one of them able to play both positions, and both had mastered the knuckle puck. There was no doubt his entire team were very talented players, but the knuckle puck was a guaranteed shot and now two out of his three players who knew it, were out of the running. He ran his hand through his hair, very much wanting to punch something. He looked at Michelle and remembered her words from the other day; _"He will do anything, and I mean anything to ensure his team's victory."_ 'Could this have all been his planning?' Bombay asked himself. He pushed that thought aside, chiding himself for even thinking the thought. He knew that Stansson was a hard man, but didn't think he would go to the extent of hurting players from the other team. _'But he did tell Olaf to bring down Adam during the Goodwill games. He told all his boys to throw their weight around and to take out your best players,' _a thought in the back of his head said. He shook his head and looked up to see both hockey teams looking at him with concern.

"Hey guys," Bombay said. He had a solution in his head, but he knew his team would not follow him with it. "I don't understand the official's decision any more than you do, but they wanted this game and they will get it if it's up to them. Which, unfortunately it is. I know you guys are anxious to see Russ and Goldberg and you all very much want to play alongside them, and obviously that isn't going to happen. So I've come to the decision, that we, the Ducks, will forfeit the game." He waited for this information to sink into their heads. He watched his team, anticipating the reactions that would come.

"What?" asked Guy.

"Forfeit?" repeated Luis.

"Coach," Charlie said, looking into Bombay's eyes trying to find an answer. "Coach, you're kidding right? You don't really want us to forfeit right?"

"We can't forfeit now," Fulton added. He was always the first one to back up Charlie. "I mean, this stupid game was sprung on us out of nowhere and that arrogant official…yeah I'm not even to finish that sentence. But what I'm saying is that we shouldn't forfeit."

"He's right," agreed Dwayne. "Russ and Goldberg may not be able to play, but their spirits will be with us on the ice!"

Giggles erupted from the center of the room. Everyone turned to look at the two Lady Ducks, who until recently, had been crying. The giggles erupted into full out laughter and everyone looked at them worriedly.

"Uh, are they okay?" asked Gustav.

"Sorry," Julie apologized. "It's just that, Dwayne made it sound like we really lost Russ and Goldberg. I'm not gonna bother repeating what he said because I'll just end up laughing again but-"

"Dwayne's right," finished Connie, smiling at said boy.

* * *

Weyden had slipped unnoticed out of the room when he felt his phone vibrate. He checked to see who was calling and immediately answered, taking the conversation away from any prying ears.

"Hallo."

"You disappoint me Weyden. I told you to take care of it, but instead I had to do your job for you."

"I do not work for you Stansson. You may have used my earlier anger and resentment to your advantage, but I am not as stupid as you think."

"Oh is that so? Well, you were never a strong one. I should have asked Olaf like I was planning to, but you were so eager to help."

"That is enough! You are pathetic; waiting all these years just to exact some kind of revenge that will most likely never work."

"Oh but it has already work. I just need to put the finishing touches and the trophy will be mine. And you cannot talk about being pathetic. You could not even lift a finger to do any damage."

"You are just lucky that those two did not end up dead. They will find out you know. You cannot just do this and get away with it."

"Those people are stupid and you know it. Now because I think you still have potential, I am giving you one more chance."

"No, that is it. I am through playing your games," and with this last statement, Weyden flipped his phone shut. He sighed and rubbed his face with both hands. He needed to do something, but he had no idea what course of action to take.

"Care to explain what the hell that conversation was about?" asked a voice behind him. He recognized it immediately and prayed to every Norse god and goddess that he was wrong. He turned slowly to face the fair-haired American goalie.

"Shit," he said.

"Yeah, I would expect that to be your reaction," Julie said. "I came out here to escape that room, to get some fresh air, and what do I stumble upon? A Viking defender talking in riddles to his phone. I'm not stupid and I'm not in a happy mood, so I'll ask you once again. What was that conversation about?"

Weyden looked at the woman in front of him a decided that it was in his best interest to tell her the truth. After all, she could very well go back into the other room and make everyone believe that he was up to something.

"That was Stansson," he began. Julie's eyes narrowed into slits, her face hardened. "I do not know how long you were standing there, but I might as well tell you everything. As you know, I resented you and your team for our loss four years ago. Stansson came to me with a plan and he wanted me to do a certain job. I quickly agreed as I was blinded by my anger. Somehow, he had received information that three members of your team had learned the knuckle puck and he could not afford to have three able bodied people doing that. So, he gave me the task of incapacitating Russ and Goldberg."

Julie's eyes widened, her jaw dropping at the information. She was debating whether to run back into the other room to tell everyone what she had just learned or to punch Weyden in the face. She stood her ground, glaring at the Icelander before her.

"You must understand," he continued. "After spending time with your team, getting to know each player…I began to see what an arrogant jerk I was. Of course it was not your fault that you caught the puck. You are a goalie and that was your job. I decided, that day after we had played in the park, that I would not follow Stansson. I swear to you that I had no part in what happened to your teammates. Stansson had taken matters into his own hands. He said so himself this evening. Please understand."

The Viking defender was so sincere in his words and Julie could see in his eyes that he was telling the truth. She knew that Stansson was not above hurting others. Maria had told her and Connie stories that she cared not to remember. Not to mention, his unruly conduct that threw him off his professional hockey career.

"Alright," the Lady Duck finally said. "I understand. But before we tell everyone else about this, we have to see what your fellow defender found out about the poison. When we have everything, then we can tell them. Don't make me regret trusting you on this Weyden. You know that I can take you down if I have to."

Weyden smiled, remembering the time she had single-handedly dropped Olaf and Gunnar to their knees. "Yes," he answered. There was no doubt in his mind, that that could have been him.


	12. Chapter 12:Closing In

**Summary: **With two members down, the Ducks are determined to play in the game. The day of practice is upon them and the long awaited rematch is a little over 24 hours away. With everything that happened the day before, what could possibly go on today or tomorrow for that matter?

**Disclaimer: **I do not and never will own the movies or the characters.

**A/N: **So here it is! The final chapter to my story and the longest one yet (it is quite long). I hope that everyone who has read it has enjoyed it. I want to thank you all for taking the time to read it and special thanks to those who came back after deciding that I probably fell off the face of the Earth. Thank you for putting up with my very slow updates and thank you for the lovely reviews. Please enjoy!

**Expecting the Unexpected**

**Chapter 12: Closing In**

_Recap: Russ and Goldberg can't play in the game. Game not cancelled. Talk of forfeit. Julie learns a secret._

**An Hour Before Practice**

"Man I would really like to punch those two stupid officials, but I know that's not going to do anything!" exclaimed Portman as he paced around the large common room. The Ducks had tried once more to persuade the officials to change the date of the game, but to no avail.

"You're right Portman," agreed Bombay. "We may be down two players, but that doesn't mean that we are instantly going to lose. We just need to switch up our plays a bit and we definitely need to watch out for each other. Not that I'm saying the Iceland team will do anything," he quickly adds and casts a glance at the other team, who as one, shrugged their shoulders.

"You do not have to worry about us Coach Bombay," Gunnar said as his fellow teammates nodded their heads in agreement.

"That's good to hear," Bombay said somewhat uncertainly. He turned back to his team and eyed them carefully before continuing. "What happened to Russ and Goldberg is still a question to be answered, but right now we can't help them. The only thing we can do is win this thing for them. I know you guys have actually made friends with the Iceland team, but remember that this is still a rivalry game. We need to do our absolute best out there and also have fun at the same time!"

"YEAH!" came a chorus of voices from the Ducks.

After the sound died down, Julie cleared her throat and motioned for the team to huddle closer. Shooting confused glances at each other, her teammates formed a tighter circle and gave their attention to the fair haired goalie.

"Guys what I'm about to tell you has to be kept in this circle okay. At least for now." Julie looked around the group and saw looks of shock and confusion flit across the faces. "Listen up and listen up well. I found out some news yesterday from Weyden and it's big. The rest of the Iceland team doesn't know yet, but they will soon enough." She stopped and waited for that little bit of information to sink in.

"Jules," spoke Connie, tilting her head as if to say go on. The other woman nodded and began telling them what she had discovered last night.

"Come on! Come on! Pick up the pace!" yelled a man with overly gelled hair. "Amssalik skate faster! Niesel, you are slacking. You need to be faster with your stick. Gunnar! Olaf! What are you two doing talking? What is it with all of you today! You are here to practice! So practice. How about this? If you throw all your heart and strength into this practice for another two hours, then we can call it a day. Yes?"

The Iceland team gave each other quick, unsure glances before Weyden broke the silence.

"Yes, I think that is a good idea. What do you say guys say?" he asked his teammates, giving them a look that read "I-have-something-important-I-need-to-tell-you." The whole team nodded their heads in approval.

"Good! Well now that everyone has agreed, get back to work!" barked Stansson.

Maria eyed the Viking coach warily. Although he was shouting orders and pushing the team to their limits like always, he had a sneer on his face and an unmistakable glint in his eye. What exactly was this man up to now? She averted her gaze as he turned to face her. It would not do for him to notice her staring at him questioningly.

The Iceland team filed into the locker room with Stansson following closely behind who, at the same time, was giving his team a pep talk. He basically repeated that the Ducks were worthless and though they may have formed "friendships," the upcoming match should be played at the utmost level. The young Icelanders looked at each other knowingly- their coach meant that friends or not, their mission was to annihilate the Ducks.

Weyden waited for his coach and Maria to leave the locker room before turning to his teammates.

"We have to talk," he informed them, "But not here. We need to go somewhere private."

The group gathered in a small conference room provided by their host. Luck was on their side today as Stansson decided to celebrate by bar hopping. Celebrate what? No one bothered to ask and frankly, no one cared to.

"What is it Weyden?" asked Gunnar, breaking the silence.

Said man paced in front of his teammates for several seconds before sighing deeply. "I have something to tell you all and I need you to hear me out before pouncing on me. Can you all at least do that?" He waited for each member to nod their heads before continuing. He told them of his initial involvement with Stansson's plans, how he was supposed to incapacitate members of the other team, and how he came to resent the idea and told Stansson that he was out.

"The Ducks should know by now as well. Julie caught me as I was telling Stansson that I was done with his games," Weyden ended. He eyed his teammates carefully, noticing their looks of incredulity. He waited, hoping that they would not hurt him badly for his misguided actions. Thankfully, he saw that they would not do anything to him, at least for the time being.

"So what now?" asked Amssalik, "What happens now?"

"Before we figure that out, we need to meet up with the Ducks. I have something else to tell you and it is not good at all," Bajer said. His friends only looked at him with increasing worry in their eyes.

It was 8:00 at night and Lake Superior and its surroundings were buzzing with nightly activities; save for one area that was ominously quiet. The USA and Iceland hockey teams sat in silence under a pavilion by the lake. Each group was still digesting what they had learned about Stansson hours earlier. Now they were bracing themselves for further ill news. Bombay, Ms. McKay, and Maria all stood in a corner observing the young adults before them. The silence was broken when Bajer stood up and cleared his throat. Though not a fan of being the center of attention, he overcame his discomfort for this.

"As you all know, I had guessed that Goldberg was poisoned during our dinner out," he began. "I took a sample of his salad and have been searching consistently for any plants around the area that are poisonous. I did not find any. So I widened my range to the whole of the States and then to the entire continent itself. I still did not find answers." He paused and glanced at his trainer who nodded her head.

"So it must have come from outside North America," stated Julie who quickly understood what the Viking defense man was saying.

Bajer nodded his head and continued his explanation. "While looking closely at the sample I took, I noticed one leaf that looked peculiar. It was already hard enough trying to match the leaves in the salad to every poisonous plant here, but it was the color and the faint odor that gave it away. Thankfully, or not thankfully, this particular leaf was not washed properly, nor was it drenched in dressing. I thought that I had seen it before, so on a hunch, I checked poisonous plants from another country." He stopped and struggled to say what was next.

"Which country did you check Bajer? Where is it from?" asked Gustav, his face betrayed no emotion, but in his mind, he already feared the worst.

Bajer looked at his countryman then the rest of the group before replying, "Iceland."

The following response was a crushing silence. It was as if the air around them stilled and refused to circulate though they were outside. An observer would expect to see shock on everyone's faces, which would be the case of the USA Ducks and the three adults. What was different were the expressions on the Iceland team's faces. Theirs, was reflected with unadulterated hate. Bajer further explained that the plant exclusively grew in Iceland, more specifically on the island of Heimaey.*

"So what do we do now?" queried Charlie. "We have to go to the police! We have to let them know everything and then Stansson can be arrested and we won't have to go through with this stupid game!"

"We can't," said Olaf. Charlie was about to protest, but Olaf continued, cutting him off. "What proof, what evidence do we have? Even if Weyden confesses his initial involvement, Stansson would just say that he was never part of it, or that he would never conspire to hurt someone or something of the sort. Trust me when I say that Stansson can manipulate words and people to make them believe what he wants them to. And we cannot very well use Goldberg's salad as we would have to admit that we took a sample of the salad. We could be taken in for disturbing the crime scene. No, we cannot go directly to the police or the officials for that matter. Who knows, maybe Stansson has even paid the officials off."

Olaf's words weighed heavily on every person present and though they would very much like to report that bastard Iceland coach, they had to reluctantly agree with Olaf.

"So we're back to the question of what to do," said Banks.

"I say we go on with the game," answered Portman, who earned many glares from his teammates. "I'm serious," he continued. "We still play the game; go on like we didn't find out any of this. Besides, we already agreed that we would play and we told the officials that. Although instead of playing dirty, as in Stansson's way, we just play. Obviously we all play our best, but no flips and no checks. Well at least no hard hits."

"Portman is right," agreed Gunnar. "We cannot let on that we know what Stansson is up to. He still thinks that we will do whatever it takes to ensure a win this time. Regardless of our newly formed friendships."

From her post in the back, Maria spoke to the large group. "Then that is the plan," she said. "No one breathes a word about this new information or even about this meeting tonight. You will all go about as you have, worry about Goldberg's and Russ' conditions, and be a little excited about tomorrow's match. We should all probably go into our respective rooms now as it is close to nine o'clock and Stansson just sent me a text saying he is on his way back. Somehow, we will have to conjure a plan on how to expose Stansson. Now go."

Both teams dispersed and retreated back to their rooms, wondering what the hell was going to happen the next day. Bombay, Ms. McKay, and Maria bade each other goodnight as they too went back to their own rooms, all thinking of a way to handle the current situation. Stansson made his way back his quarters, ecstatic about tomorrow, and was smiling a rather sinister smile.

**The Day of the Match**

As decided last night, the two teams would not speak to each other save for the good luck sentiments. There were just a couple hours before the game was supposed to start, but Bombay had given his team the time off. Stansson on the other hand, was holding a mandatory practice for his team. With nothing much to do, Connie volunteered to get herself and Julie coffee as she needed to think about what happened to her last night.

_Flashback:_

_As Connie and Julie made their way to their room, Connie suddenly felt herself pulled away and behind a column of the pavilion. She was about to chastise who grabbed her until she saw who it was. Instead she just looked questioningly at the tall Icelander before her._

"_I am sorry about that," Olaf apologized to her. "I uh-well-I just wanted to tell you to be careful tomorrow in the hours before the game. We do not know what my incorrigible coach is up to and I do not want to see you get hurt. Well, that goes for your entire team as well, but uh-I want you to know that I am also looking out for you."_

_She was a bit taken aback, but also flattered that he cared that much to personally tell her that he was looking out for her. _

"_Well, I'm sure my teammates won't let anything happen to me, but I do appreciate the warning and um-thanks. It's comforting to know that you're looking out for me too."_

"_You are welcome and good night. I will see you tomorrow Velvet Hammer."_

"_Hey! How did you-"but Olaf was already walking away. She huffed and glared at his back. And as if he knew, he turned enough to wink at her and then ran to catch up with his teammates._

_End flashback._

Connie said thanks to the barista and exited the café. She needed to talk to Julie about this and get her view on the issue. She dodged a runaway dog and its owner chasing after it, almost collided with a woman who had way too many shopping bags and boxes, and did crash into an elderly gentleman who kindly steadied her. After saying thanks, she huffed and continued on her way. The streets were crowded with people shopping for the upcoming holiday, crowded enough so that if anyone just happened to be kidnapped, it wouldn't be easily noticed. Unfortunately for this Lady Duck, that was exactly what happened to her.

**Connie POV**

My head felt heavy, everything was swimming as if I was underwater for too long and just barely managed to come to the surface before passing out. I opened my eyes to unfamiliar surroundings. The faint smell of chloroform snapped me back to my senses and to what had happened. I had been kidnapped. My hands had been duct-taped behind my back and another piece was placed over my mouth. I tried to think of who could have done this and only one person came to mind, Stansson. He still couldn't give up could he? Russ and Goldberg weren't enough so he had to do me in too.

I tested my bindings and found that there was quite some space to wiggle around, but not enough to manipulate my hands out. The tape over my mouth wasn't very long so I used my tongue to push against the tape and my teeth to pretty much chew it off. Thankfully I wasn't tied to anything and my feet were free so I walked around to find something to cut the duct-tape from my wrists. Seriously, whoever took me and bound me did a horrible job. I finally found broken shards of glass that served as a cutting tool. I rubbed my wrists and looked around for an exit before my captor decided to come back. Oops, too late. Just my luck.

The guy who walked in looked to be in his mid to late 20s. He noticed that I was untied and came straight at me with his fists raised. I scoffed, obviously this idiot didn't care that I was a girl. I brought my arm up to block his punch then I hit him in the stomach. I followed that up with an elbow to the face and was about to deliver another blow, but he tripped me. Unfortunately I didn't get up quickly enough and the bastard dragged me to a pole by my hair. He slapped me a few times and cursed at me before producing some rope out of nowhere to tie me to the pole. Since I was already on the ground, I took the opportunity to swipe his legs from under him while he was untangling the rope. He landed hard and I scrambled up.

"You have no manners at all. Has no one taught you that you never hit a woman?" I asked him, kicking him in the groin for good measure before sprinting out of the building.

Julie Gaffney looked at her watch one more time and wondered where her best friend had gone to. It wasn't a very long walk to the café and Connie should have been back by now. She knew the girl had something on her mind and wondered what it could be. She was about to start asking her fellow team members if they had seen the other Lady Duck when her ringtone went off.

"Connie! Hey where are you?" Julie asked into the phone.

"You better hope your friend has found a safe place to hide because if not, then I will make sure to put her through living hell," a voice sneered back.

"Who the hell is this?" Julie demanded, her mind racing with negative thoughts.

The person on the other line laughed. "Don't you worry your pretty head about who I am. I had your friend tied up a while ago, but it seems she's smarter than she looks. Oh but mark my words, once I get my hands back on her, I will hurt her. Bye now!"

Julie was too busy staring at her phone in shock to register fellow Ducks had walked in.

"Julie?"

"Julie!"

"Cat Lady!"

Said girl finally looked up to see her teammates looking at her worriedly. She snapped her phone shut, swallowed, and tried to relate what just happened. It took her several attempts, but she was finally able to tell her friends that Connie had been kidnapped, escaped, and was now running somewhere out in the city of St. Paul with some psycho chasing after her.

"We've gotta go find her now!" exclaimed Guy.

"Yeah, but where?" asked Cowboy.

"We need to split up into pairs and go in different directions," answered Charlie said.

"We've gotta tell Coach too," added Portman.

They set about getting into pairs and proceeded to find their coach as well as Ms. McKay. They had just walked out the door when they bumped into the Iceland team.

"Oh hello," began Gunnar. "We just wanted to wish you all good luck before the game starts."

Olaf noticed the body language of the entire group and asked what was wrong.

"We need help. We still have time before the game starts, but we need all the people we can get. Connie's been kidnapped by some crazy person. Well actually she escaped, but right now she's on the run and the guy who kidnapped her is chasing her. So we have to find her before he does and make sure that she hasn't been hurt, "Julie informed the Iceland team in one breath. Luckily, they all understood what she said and readily agreed to join in the search for the missing Lady Duck.

Meanwhile, as that was happening, the girl in question was weaving her way through the city streets, not caring where she was going as long as it was away from her captor. Connie knew better than to keep looking back as it would slow her down, but every turn or so she would make sure she wasn't being followed. She ducked into a restaurant and into the bathroom to look at her face. She wasn't badly injured, but the slaps to the face she received left their mark. Her cheeks were stinging and the left side, which had been hit with more force, was beginning to swell.

"Dammit!" she cursed as she gingerly touched her cheek. She took a minute to wash her face with cold water before carefully making her way back out of the restaurant. Once outside, she glanced every which way for any signs of her captor. Seeing none, she walked briskly towards a part of the city that looked vaguely familiar.

Someone out there must have a massive grudge against her because as soon as she turned the next corner, she spotted her captor who also happened to see her. He ran straight for her and she had no choice but to turn around and sprint down an alley. She turned down two more alleys before looking behind her. No one was in sight so she decided to venture out into the street, although the moment she stepped out, she was grabbed by the shoulders.

"Connie! Connie!" Adam shouted as he blocked the punch that was coming towards him.

"Cons, it's okay!" Julie cried as she took the other girl from Adam and hugged her. "It's okay, we're here. It's Adam, Gustav, Niesel and me, Julie. It's okay. It's okay. We're not going to hurt you. Stop Connie!"

Connie stopped struggling and clung onto Julie for support. The trio began walking back to the meeting place the group had decided on earlier. The boys kept an eye out for any suspicious looking characters as Julie soothed her best friend. It didn't take long to get to the meeting place and just in time. The rest of the search party along with Coach Bombay, Ms. McKay, and Maria were already there, pacing anxiously.

"We're back! We've got her!" Adam called out to the others who abruptly stopped their pacing and rushed to the group of teenagers.

As if one entity, the larger group reached the smaller one at exactly the same time. Olaf, however, was the first to reach out to Connie and what transpired next was both unexpected and something to be remembered. Olaf had barely opened his arms when Connie detached herself from Julie and collapsed against the tall Icelander and broke down sobbing. With the exception of Julie and Guy, never have the Ducks seen "the Velvet Hammer" openly cry before them before. The rest of the Icelanders looked on knowingly. They had all grown up together, and despite being a rather large group, their bonds of friendship was one that could not be broken easily, even if one of them had shortly been misguided. Being together for so long, they could pick up on subtleties that everyone else missed. It was no surprise to them when Olaf reached for Connie as they had guessed his feelings for her during their second week together with the other team. Gunnar, being Olaf's closest friend, had been the first to know.

The Ducks, though more surprised than their counterparts, also had inklings of a possible attraction to the Icelander from Connie. Guy and Julie had been the first people to know as they were the two who initially talked to her about Olaf. Guy looked away from the spectacle; he didn't want anyone seeing the hurt in his eyes. Although he and Connie mutually agreed that Olaf would be good for her, it didn't mean that he would stop feeling hurt right away. It would take time, but somehow, he knew he could trust Olaf Sanderson to take care of his ex-girlfriend.

After a while, Bombay suggested calling the police to explain in detail everything that had happened. The Ducks immediately agreed to do so, and with the Iceland team's consent, to file a suit against Stansson.

The rematch between the Vikings and Ducks was supposed to take place at two in the afternoon; it was now four p.m. and the hockey rink remained empty. Both teams were gathered in a conference room at the hotel that they were staying at. The police had been informed and now they were waiting for authorities to come and take their statements. Connie, though still embarrassed about her earlier actions, sat in between Julie and Olaf who had his arm around her shoulders. It was silent as each person thought about the day's events. Their only form of consolation came from the doctor at the hospital Russ and Goldberg were being held. Russ was recovering well from his surgery, but he would need crutches for at least 2 to 3 months. Goldberg had almost been lost due to the strange poisonous plant, but luckily an antidote came in time. He was still weak and could not participate in the game. This being said, he was also recovering nicely. Both Ducks were actually released earlier that day and had now joined the rest of the hockey players in the conference room. If they were not in the process of healing, they would have tracked down the guy who kidnapped Connie and made him pay for what he did.

It was nearing five p.m. when the door to the room opened and an officer and a game official they had never seen walked in. (A/N: They knew the man was an official due to the suit he was wearing – they all wore the same suits so people recognized them).

"Hello, my name is Chief Monroe. I am the head of the police faction here in St. Paul," the policeman introduced himself.

"And I am Mr. Hastings, one of the officials of the game you were supposed to be in today," said the other man.

"Now please," said Chief Monroe, "We don't have a lot of time, but I would like to know what happened today. If I recall correctly, two members of this group have already been sent to the hospital because of certain circumstances. We, as in my men, Mr. Hastings, and myself have a lead, but we need to hear this story for confirmation."

All the young adults looked at each other worriedly then looked at Connie as she was the victim, then looked at Julie, Adam, Gustav, and Niesel as they were the rescuers. Connie took a deep breath and began the account of what happened to her. By the time she was finished, Chief Monroe and Mr. Hastings had identical looks of disgust. They then turned to the four who had found the poor girl. It was a lot to digest and neither authority figures said anything after the account.

Suddenly, in one clear voice, the sentence "It's all Stansson's fault" resonated throughout the room. The police chief, the game official, Bombay, Ms. McKay, and Maria all turned their gazes to the two hockey teams in the room. It was quite a sight to see, if one were to take the time and actually look. It was no secret that the two teams were not friends at the beginning of the whole ordeal, but looking at them now, one wouldn't be able to tell. Sitting in a large group, they just looked like a bunch of high school/college kids.

"It is all our coach's fault, though I doubt we will ever call him that again," said Weyden.

"Can you elaborate on that?" asked Mr. Hastings as he eyed the Iceland defense man.

"I was privy to Stansson's thoughts. In fact, I was part of his plan in the beginning, but I can assure you that I had no share of what happened to the Ducks. I had cut the deal and I was found out before I even thought of doing anything. The most I had done was to try to provoke Portman into a fight, which did not work."

Bajer was the next to speak as he told them about the poisonous plant that was in Goldberg's salad. Although the doctor had specified it, he could not pinpoint the exact location of where it grew. What other explanation, but that it had been brought in by someone from Iceland. Maria further confirmed this by informing everyone that Stansson was on vacation on Heimaey before this all started.

"Well," exclaimed Mr. Hastings, "You have all cleared any doubts that I had in my mind. I know you are all probably still wondering why you haven't seen me before if I'm supposed to be an official. Well see, here is the thing. I was actually hired to keep an eye on Wolf Stansson. This whole thing actually started about 4 years ago, just months after the end of Junior Goodwill Games. Stansson had come to the board of officials and asked for a rematch between Iceland and the U.S. He claimed that the Ducks had cheated in order to win the championship, but they didn't buy it. Frankly, the way you Icelanders were physically dominating the Ducks wasn't exactly by the rules either." He stopped to rub his temples as if he had abruptly acquired a headache.

"To make a rather long story short, this game only came to be because Stansson had forged official documents. At first, when the officials agreed to a rematch, everyone thought that they had gotten so tired of listening to Stansson that they just gave in. It wasn't until an official came in and was accidentally exposed, meaning his bruises became visible, that an investigation was launched. It turns out that other official members had similar bruises and they confessed that Stansson had beaten and threatened them if they didn't agree to a rematch," Mr. Hastings concluded.

Both hockey teams thought they had had their share of surprises, but this was just icing on the cake, so to speak. They literally sat there with open mouths, staring at the official. The Icelanders began muttering to each under their breaths, which steadily grew louder and by the time everyone else could hear them, they could not understand a word because all of it was in Icelandic.

"Nei!" Gunnar said loudly. "Nei, nei," he repeated. "Leave Stansson to the authorities," he finally said in English. His brethren sighed dejectedly, but agreed nonetheless.

Wolf "The Dentist" Stansson had currently received a phone call that told him the game was up. He slammed his phone shut and cursed everyone to the depths of hell. He cursed Bombay and that traitor Maria. He cursed the moronic Ducks who seemed to get away with everything. He cursed the game officials and the Minnesota police and that idiot who could not hold on to a small girl for crying out loud. And lastly, he cursed his team for befriending their opponents, their enemies. He punched the wall next to him and kicked his door. He needed to leave the country fast before the authorities caught up with him. He made some calls and within a few minutes, he was to board the next plane to Norway. He would not go to Iceland. That would be the first place anyone would look for him.

It was 7:25 p.m. and boarding had just begun. Stansson was next in line when suddenly the ticket attendant had been called away and was replaced by Mr. Hastings.

"Hello there Mr. Stansson. Flying to Norway tonight?" greeted Mr. Hastings.

"Er, yes," answered Stansson who had no idea who Mr. Hastings was.

"Ah, we have a problem. It seems your ticket is not valid. Let me try again. No, I am sorry, but can I ask you to step aside for the time being."

"What? No, no. I'm sorry but I'm in a hurry. Couldn't you just excuse me this once?"

"If I recall correctly, are you not supposed to be in Minnesota for another day? Why are you leaving now in such a hurry? And why to Norway?"

"It is a family emergency," snapped an irate Stansson. "I have a sister in Norway who has just been in a terrible accident and I am the only family she has left."

"What a convincing story you have there. I'm sure it won't hold up in court," said a cold voice behind Stansson.

Stansson looked behind him to see members of a police faction and further behind were the two hockey teams. He tried to run, but was tackled to the ground by a large (as in muscles not fat) officer who hauled him off the floor and cuffed his wrists behind his back.

"Wolf Stansson, you are under arrest for assault and battery as well as kidnapping and attempted murder," said the man who turned out to be Chief Monroe. "I suggest you find yourself a good lawyer because I intend to put you in jail for a long time," and with this, the former Iceland hockey coach was escorted to a waiting police car. Charges would be pressed, but the trial would most likely have to wait. When the time came, both teams, especially those directly involved with Stansson's dealings, wholeheartedly agreed to testify against him.

The night was still young, but no one was in the spirit to celebrate. Yes, they did rejoice in getting their teammates back and the fact that Stansson would soon be out of their lives. It was just too much to take in at the moment. The officials had extended their stay at the hotel for another several days and that was where they all retreated to. Upon reaching the hotel, the young adults bade each other good night and promised to meet the next morning. Ms. McKay and Maria would have waited for the other two women, but seeing two certain Icelanders hovering, they went ahead. Julie and Connie were escorted to their room a little while later by Gunnar and Olaf who gave their respective girls a kiss good night.

The weather was perfect and the sun shone brightly outside, not that it made a difference when the event was being held indoors. At the St. Paul ice hockey arena, there stood two teams on either side of the center line. One team was clad in black, the Viking logo proudly displayed on their shirts. The other team (with the exception of two players) was in contrastingly white gear, the emblem of the Duck never fading. The two teams, enemies turned friends, had chosen to still hold the game. Although today, there would be no officials to watch, no scores to be kept, and nothing to prove. Today was about overcoming differences, letting go of the past, finding new friends, and spending time doing what they love most, playing hockey. This newfound friendship would be one that would be looked upon fondly, with many memories to be recalled, and many reunions to be had, but that was another tale altogether. For now, these hockey players had their whole lives ahead of them. Bombay looked upon the scene and couldn't help but smile proudly at the young adults. He placed the whistle to his lips and the teams scattered to their places. Maria dropped the puck at center ice for Gunnar Stahl and Jesse Hall to fight over, and so the game commenced.

**A/N: **Ah the bittersweet end. I can't believe I finally finished this many, many months later. I hope readers liked this story. If you did, please feel free to review and check out my other stories. I'm also working on more Mighty Ducks fics since this is just my first. Thanks for reading!

*I know the part about the poisonous plant and how Bajer came to his conclusions was a bit excessive, but hey it's my story.


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